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: lie · board · fork · snap · deal · clip · wound · face

  1. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. wound — an injury
  4. face — to confront
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. board — a committee
  8. clip — to cut
  9. clip — for paper
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. face — to point toward
  12. fork — in a road
  13. face — part of the head
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. lie — to recline
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. deal — to handle
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. snap — to click
  21. wound — an injury
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. board — to get on

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