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: current · file · hide · clip · track · mug · leaves · bear

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. current — electric
  6. clip — for paper
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. current — happening now
  10. mug — a face
  11. track — to keep track
  12. track — a path
  13. file — a document
  14. clip — a video
  15. file — a tool
  16. bear — the animal
  17. mug — to rob
  18. bear — the animal
  19. current — of water
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. file — a line of people
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. track — a song
  24. clip — to cut

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