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 · pit · mark · last · fork · cabinet · bark · degree

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. mark — a trace
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. pit — a hole
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. degree — from a university
  9. last — finally
  10. last — to go on
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. fork — in a road
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. degree — an amount
  17. last — final
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. lie — to recline
  20. bark — to shout
  21. degree — temperature
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. pit — in a race
  24. mark — to pay attention

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