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 120 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: fork · saw · lie · perch · band · sharp · bore · snap

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. saw — the tool
  9. band — a music group
  10. bore — to drill
  11. fork — in a road
  12. lie — to recline
  13. band — a ring
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. perch — the fish
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. bore — to tire
  19. sharp — clever
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. snap — to click
  23. saw — the tool
  24. perch — for a bird

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