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: rock · clip · mouse · hand · fall · cabinet · coach · temple

  1. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. hand — help
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. clip — for paper
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. rock — music
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. rock — a stone
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. hand — in cards
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. clip — to cut
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. fall — the season
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. fall — to drop
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. clip — a video
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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