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: lie · clip · hand · firm · wound · pitch · bound · pass

  1. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. pass — a permit
  3. clip — a video
  4. clip — to cut
  5. bound — tied together
  6. wound — an injury
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. firm — a company
  9. bound — obliged
  10. hand — in cards
  11. bound — certain
  12. firm — decided
  13. hand — help
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. clip — for paper
  17. wound — an injury
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. lie — to recline
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. pitch — completely
  24. firm — steady

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