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: mug · prune · clip · temple · cap · arm · rush · hide

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. clip — a video
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. cap — of ice
  5. clip — to cut
  6. mug — a cup
  7. cap — a hat
  8. rush — hurry
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. mug — to rob
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. prune — to trim
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. prune — to trim
  16. cap — a lid
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. mug — a face
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. clip — for paper
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. prune — the fruit

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