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: rash · leaves · wind · ruler · clip · band · snap · press

  1. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. clip — a video
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. press — newspapers
  7. clip — to cut
  8. wind — moving air
  9. press — a publisher
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. band — a ring
  15. rash — a series
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. snap — to click
  20. press — to push
  21. band — a music group
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. clip — for paper
  24. rash — hasty

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