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: drill · hand · stick · leaves · pass · bass · clip · perch

  1. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. hand — help
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. drill — a practice
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. hand — in cards
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. bass — low music
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. bass — the fish
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. pass — a permit
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. clip — to cut
  17. drill — army training
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. drill — the tool
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. clip — for paper
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. perch — the fish

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