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: lie · march · snap · sharp · pitch · mug · hand · leaves

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. mug — to rob
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. march — the month
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. sharp — clever
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. snap — to click
  9. mug — a face
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. march — music
  14. pitch — completely
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. hand — help
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. march — the month
  21. hand — in cards
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. mug — a cup
  24. lie — an untruth

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