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: row · ruler · cabinet · season · cell · wind · clip · suit

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. cell — in biology
  4. clip — a video
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. suit — in cards
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. suit — to fit
  10. clip — for paper
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. clip — to cut
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. row — a line
  16. cell — a phone
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. wind — moving air
  19. row — to paddle
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. wind — moving air
  23. season — in sport
  24. season — of the year

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