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: rest · hide · scale · present · fan · cap · clip · face

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. clip — to cut
  3. scale — size or range
  4. present — the time now
  5. rest — what's left
  6. present — a gift
  7. face — to point toward
  8. clip — a video
  9. face — part of the head
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. clip — for paper
  13. present — there
  14. cap — a hat
  15. face — to confront
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. rest — what's left
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. rest — a break
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. cap — a lid
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. cap — of ice
  24. hide — animal skin

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