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: mug · trunk · fine · rock · clip · key · file · hide

  1. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. mug — to rob
  3. rock — music
  4. clip — for paper
  5. fine — high quality
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. file — a document
  9. fine — all right
  10. file — a line of people
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. mug — a cup
  13. file — a tool
  14. mug — a face
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. key — the most important part
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. clip — to cut
  19. rock — a stone
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. key — in music
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. key — for a lock

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