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: stock · squash · hide · nail · fall · stick · face · clip

  1. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. clip — a video
  3. fall — the season
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. fall — to drop
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. fall — to drop
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. face — part of the head
  13. face — to point toward
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. stock — shares
  17. stock — goods
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. face — to confront
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. clip — to cut
  22. clip — for paper
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. squash — to crush

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