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 · can · tube · bay · present · bound · wave · squash

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. tube — a container
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. can — to be able to
  5. squash — the sport
  6. present — there
  7. clip — to cut
  8. can — a tin
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. clip — for paper
  11. bound — obliged
  12. bound — tied together
  13. present — a gift
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. bound — certain
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. squash — to crush
  21. tube — the underground
  22. can — a tin
  23. clip — a video
  24. bay — a horse colour

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