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: file · field · spring · safe · bulb · object · clip · swing

  1. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. swing — music
  4. object — to protest
  5. field — for sport
  6. object — a thing
  7. clip — for paper
  8. spring — of water
  9. file — a document
  10. clip — to cut
  11. file — a tool
  12. spring — a coil
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. swing — to play on
  15. object — an aim
  16. spring — the season
  17. file — a line of people
  18. swing — in golf
  19. field — a subject
  20. field — farmland
  21. bulb — for light
  22. bulb — for light
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. safe — a strongbox

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