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: march · wax · suit · stick · hand · foot · bass · craft

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. march — the month
  3. suit — clothes
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. wax — to grow
  6. march — the month
  7. foot — a measure
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. bass — low music
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. march — music
  13. bass — the fish
  14. suit — to fit
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. craft — a skill
  17. hand — help
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. hand — in cards
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. suit — in cards
  23. craft — boats
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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