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: hide · bass · net · clip · bark · pass · jam · prune

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. pass — a permit
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. clip — a video
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. bass — low music
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. clip — to cut
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. net — in sport
  14. clip — for paper
  15. bass — the fish
  16. net — for catching
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. prune — to trim
  21. net — after costs
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. prune — to trim
  24. jam — in traffic

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