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 · wound · coach · hide · face · dip · arm · pitch

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  23. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. clip — for paper
  7. wound — an injury
  8. face — part of the head
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. face — to confront
  16. pitch — completely
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. face — to point toward
  21. wound — an injury
  22. clip — to cut
  23. clip — a video
  24. hide — to keep secret

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