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: saw · stem · chip · march · pound · jam · cue · racket

  1. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. cue — for pool
  3. pound — a weight
  4. saw — the tool
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. march — the month
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. chip — to eat
  9. cue — a signal
  10. march — the month
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. march — music
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. cue — a hint
  16. stem — to come from
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. chip — for betting
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. racket — for tennis

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