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 116 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: pitcher · cell · capital · fall · stem · suit · craft · current

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  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. craft — a skill
  2. suit — clothes
  3. suit — to fit
  4. fall — to drop
  5. cell — in biology
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. capital — a city
  8. current — happening now
  9. capital — money
  10. suit — in cards
  11. stem — to come from
  12. fall — to drop
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. current — of water
  15. current — electric
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. cell — a phone
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. fall — the season
  23. craft — a handicraft
  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