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: bay · mug · land · chest · snap · present · lie · chip

  1. When are we going to ________________?
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. land — ground
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. lie — to recline
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. chip — for betting
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. chest — a box
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. mug — a cup
  13. present — there
  14. chest — of your body
  15. chest — of your body
  16. present — a gift
  17. chip — to eat
  18. land — a country
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. present — the time now
  22. mug — a face
  23. snap — to click
  24. mug — to rob

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