ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: pitch · clip · wound · charge · calf · dip · cabinet · saw

  1. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. clip — to cut
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. charge — in control
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. saw — the tool
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. charge — electricity
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. pitch — completely
  16. saw — the tool
  17. clip — for paper
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. wound — an injury
  20. clip — a video
  21. wound — an injury
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. charge — a price
  24. dip — to sink

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com