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 · mark · chest · fork · snap · can · court · date

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. mark — a trace
  3. lie — to recline
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. chest — of your body
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. can — to be able to
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. snap — to click
  12. chest — of your body
  13. fork — in a road
  14. court — for sport
  15. court — of law
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. mark — a grade
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. court — of a king
  21. can — a tin
  22. date — the fruit
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. chest — a box

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