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 · jam · snap · stock · plane · can · coach · prune

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. prune — to trim
  3. can — to be able to
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. stock — goods
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. can — a tin
  8. snap — to click
  9. stock — shares
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. can — a tin
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. prune — to trim
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. plane — a tool
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. plane — in geometry

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