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 · race · clip · craft · kid · spell · toast · bass

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. clip — to cut
  3. clip — for paper
  4. race — humankind
  5. bass — the fish
  6. clip — a video
  7. kid — child
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. mug — a face
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. mug — a cup
  12. race — the arms race
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. race — a contest
  15. craft — boats
  16. mug — to rob
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. spell — magic
  20. spell — letters
  21. toast — bread
  22. craft — a skill
  23. bass — low music
  24. kid — to tease

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