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 116 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: fork · branch · clip · firm · racket · mouse · track · cabinet

  1. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. track — a song
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. clip — to cut
  6. clip — for paper
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. firm — steady
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. track — to keep track
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. fork — in a road
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. firm — a company
  16. firm — decided
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. branch — a division
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. track — a path
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. mouse — for a computer

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