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: stick · wake · board · cabinet · clip · mate · dip · pitch

  1. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. clip — to cut
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. board — to get on
  9. mate — a partner
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. wake — a trail
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. board — a committee
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. mate — to breed
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. pitch — completely
  20. clip — for paper
  21. dip — to sink
  22. mate — a friend
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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