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: clip · lash · safe · cold · wake · deal · vault · board

  1. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  8. The water is too ________________.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — to cut
  2. board — to get on
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. wake — a trail
  7. cold — the Cold War
  8. cold — not warm
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. clip — for paper
  15. clip — a video
  16. board — a committee
  17. deal — to handle
  18. cold — an illness
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. vault — a safe
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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