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: safe · firm · roll · fan · trunk · key · clip · spring

  1. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  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. clip — a video
  2. roll — a cake
  3. key — for a lock
  4. spring — of water
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. firm — steady
  9. spring — a coil
  10. key — in music
  11. firm — decided
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. key — the most important part
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. clip — for paper
  19. spring — the season
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. firm — a company
  22. roll — a list
  23. roll — on a roll
  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