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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. False peace will not ________________.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. craft — a skill
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. chip — to eat
  5. stem — to come from
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. last — finally
  8. court — of a king
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. land — to come down
  11. mug — a face
  12. last — final
  13. foot — a measure
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. chip — for betting
  16. mug — a cup
  17. court — of law
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. land — a country
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. land — ground
  22. mug — to rob
  23. court — for sport
  24. craft — boats

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