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 · stick · bore · degree · coach · temple · tear · bear

  1. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  2. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. clip — for paper
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. bore — to drill
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. tear — from crying
  8. degree — from a university
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. bear — the animal
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. clip — to cut
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. degree — temperature
  16. bore — to tire
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. tear — from crying
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. tear — to rip
  23. bear — the animal
  24. degree — an amount

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