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: fine · clip · pass · rule · straw · foot · rash · bass

  1. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. clip — to cut
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. rash — hasty
  7. rule — a law
  8. fine — all right
  9. clip — for paper
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. fine — high quality
  12. pass — a permit
  13. bass — low music
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. bass — the fish
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. rule — government
  22. rash — a series
  23. foot — a measure
  24. fine — a penalty

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