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: suit · craft · season · march · root · stem · board · wound

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. board — a committee
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. wound — an injury
  7. suit — in cards
  8. season — in sport
  9. wound — an injury
  10. root — of a plant
  11. season — of the year
  12. suit — clothes
  13. board — to get on
  14. march — the month
  15. suit — to fit
  16. root — the cause
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. root — of a word
  19. march — music
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. stem — to come from
  22. craft — a skill
  23. craft — boats
  24. march — the month

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