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: staff · pitcher · spell · present · pass · clip · nail · tube

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. clip — a video
  3. present — there
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. staff — a stick
  6. spell — magic
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. tube — a container
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. staff — employees
  11. present — the time now
  12. clip — to cut
  13. spell — letters
  14. tube — the underground
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. staff — employees
  18. spell — a short time
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. clip — for paper
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. present — a gift
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. pass — a permit

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