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 · tube · jam · vault · suit · rush · mine · bay

  1. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. clip — a video
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. vault — a safe
  5. suit — in cards
  6. tube — the underground
  7. tube — a container
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. rush — hurry
  10. suit — to fit
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. mine — for digging
  18. suit — clothes
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. clip — for paper
  23. clip — to cut
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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