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: stem · suit · chip · game · craft · branch · pitcher · vault

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. suit — to fit
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. suit — in cards
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. game — wild animals
  10. vault — a safe
  11. chip — for betting
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. chip — to eat
  16. suit — clothes
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. branch — a division
  19. craft — a skill
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. game — a match
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. stem — to come from

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