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: craft · suit · chip · racket · mouse · stem · chest · march

  1. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. suit — clothes
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. march — music
  6. stem — to come from
  7. chip — for betting
  8. chest — of your body
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. chip — to eat
  11. suit — in cards
  12. craft — a skill
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. craft — boats
  15. suit — to fit
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. chest — a box
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. chest — of your body
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. march — the month
  23. mouse — the animal
  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