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 · perch · bear · band · mark · track · press · snap

  1. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. mark — a grade
  8. bear — the animal
  9. track — a song
  10. band — a ring
  11. lie — to recline
  12. track — to keep track
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. press — newspapers
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. bear — the animal
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. track — a path
  20. press — a publisher
  21. press — to push
  22. band — a music group
  23. mark — a trace
  24. snap — to click

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