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: fork · net · spring · lie · perch · mark · capital · snap

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. spring — of water
  4. capital — a city
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. perch — the fish
  9. spring — a coil
  10. mark — a trace
  11. lie — to recline
  12. mark — a grade
  13. spring — the season
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. fork — in a road
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. net — in sport
  19. capital — money
  20. snap — to click
  21. net — after costs
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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