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. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. craft — a skill
  5. tear — from crying
  6. cue — a hint
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. cue — for pool
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. tear — from crying
  11. tear — to rip
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. chip — for betting
  14. cue — a signal
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. craft — boats
  17. stem — to come from
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. pass — a permit
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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