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: nail · fork · clip · cap · lean · court · jam · snap

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. court — of a king
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. court — of law
  7. lean — to bend
  8. court — for sport
  9. clip — for paper
  10. clip — a video
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. lean — thin
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. fork — in a road
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. cap — a hat
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. snap — to click
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. cap — a lid
  24. clip — to cut

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