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 116 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: squash · clip · nail · bay · scale · deal · rash · rock

  1. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. scale — size or range
  3. clip — to cut
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. rock — music
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. squash — the sport
  8. deal — to handle
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. clip — for paper
  11. rock — a stone
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. rash — hasty
  17. scale — in music
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. rash — a series
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. squash — to crush
  24. rash — on the skin

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