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: game · lie · can · clip · rush · arm · mark · cap

  1. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. clip — for paper
  4. game — a match
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. cap — of ice
  8. lie — to recline
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. can — to be able to
  11. mark — a grade
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. cap — a lid
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. clip — to cut
  16. can — a tin
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. rush — hurry
  19. game — wild animals
  20. mark — a trace
  21. can — a tin
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. cap — a hat
  24. arm — part of the body

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