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 120 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: deal · club · clip · board · saw · pass · safe · coach

  1. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — to cut
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. club — for golf
  5. club — a group
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. pass — a permit
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. deal — to handle
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. saw — the tool
  17. clip — for paper
  18. saw — the tool
  19. clip — a video
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. club — for dancing
  23. board — a committee
  24. board — to get on

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