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: sharp · roll · key · ground · root · lash · clip · cabinet

  1. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — for paper
  2. clip — a video
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. sharp — clever
  6. root — the cause
  7. roll — a cake
  8. root — of a plant
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. ground — crushed
  11. clip — to cut
  12. key — in music
  13. ground — a position
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. roll — a list
  17. ground — the earth
  18. root — of a word
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. key — for a lock
  23. key — the most important part
  24. cabinet — ministers

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