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 116 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: stick · club · content · hand · bulb · clip · bore · file

  1. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — to cut
  2. content — the amount
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. file — a line of people
  5. bulb — for light
  6. clip — a video
  7. club — for dancing
  8. hand — in cards
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. hand — help
  11. bore — to drill
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. club — a group
  14. bore — to tire
  15. clip — for paper
  16. file — a tool
  17. bulb — for light
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. content — happy
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. file — a document
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. club — for golf

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