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: bound · pitcher · snap · club · mark · scale · last · lie

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. snap — to click
  3. mark — a trace
  4. club — for golf
  5. scale — size or range
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. scale — in music
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. club — a group
  10. club — for dancing
  11. bound — certain
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. lie — to recline
  15. bound — obliged
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. mark — a grade
  22. last — final
  23. last — to go on
  24. last — finally

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