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: root · clip · pit · key · mate · wound · straw · stock

  1. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  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. wound — an injury
  2. clip — for paper
  3. pit — a hole
  4. stock — shares
  5. clip — a video
  6. wound — an injury
  7. pit — in a race
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. stock — goods
  10. mate — a friend
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. key — for a lock
  13. root — the cause
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. root — of a word
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. mate — to breed
  19. mate — a partner
  20. root — of a plant
  21. key — in music
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. key — the most important part
  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