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 120 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: ruler · cabinet · dip · lash · clip · stick · track · mug

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. dip — to sink
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. clip — a video
  7. mug — a cup
  8. mug — to rob
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. mug — a face
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. track — a song
  19. track — a path
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. clip — for paper
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. clip — to cut

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