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 · current · bowl · scale · key · rush · rest · arm

  1. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — for paper
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. rest — what's left
  5. current — electric
  6. key — the most important part
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. scale — size or range
  9. key — for a lock
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. clip — to cut
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. scale — in music
  17. clip — a video
  18. rush — hurry
  19. current — of water
  20. rest — a break
  21. rest — what's left
  22. key — in music
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. current — happening now

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