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 124 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: clip · stem · tear · stick · tube · last · dip · ruler

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. dip — to sink
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. clip — to cut
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. clip — for paper
  11. clip — a video
  12. last — finally
  13. stem — to come from
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. last — to go on
  17. tear — from crying
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. last — final
  20. tube — the underground
  21. tear — to rip
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. tear — from crying
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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