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: cap · craft · temple · mouse · clip · chip · stem · bound

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. clip — for paper
  3. clip — to cut
  4. chip — for betting
  5. cap — a hat
  6. cap — a lid
  7. clip — a video
  8. craft — boats
  9. stem — to come from
  10. chip — to eat
  11. bound — certain
  12. bound — obliged
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. cap — of ice
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. craft — a skill
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. bound — tied together
  24. mouse — for a computer

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