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: clip · jam · object · press · stem · bark · fork · arm

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. press — newspapers
  3. clip — to cut
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. press — a publisher
  6. clip — for paper
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. stem — to come from
  9. bark — to shout
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. clip — a video
  14. object — to protest
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. object — a thing
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. fork — in a road
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. object — an aim
  23. press — to push
  24. stem — of a plant

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