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: capital · vault · wave · mark · clip · board · calf · squash

  1. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. mark — a trace
  3. squash — to crush
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. clip — to cut
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. capital — a city
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. clip — for paper
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. board — to get on
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. board — a committee
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. capital — money
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. mark — a grade
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. squash — the sport
  22. vault — a safe
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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