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: lash · clip · lean · rash · craft · pitch · bulb · mouse

  1. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. bulb — for light
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. lean — thin
  5. pitch — completely
  6. rash — hasty
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. lean — to bend
  11. clip — to cut
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. clip — for paper
  16. bulb — for light
  17. rash — a series
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. craft — a skill
  22. craft — boats
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. craft — a handicraft

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