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: pop · suit · bear · bound · degree · craft · march · chip

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. pop — to visit
  3. craft — boats
  4. chip — for betting
  5. degree — temperature
  6. pop — soda
  7. bound — tied together
  8. suit — in cards
  9. bound — obliged
  10. craft — a skill
  11. march — the month
  12. bound — certain
  13. bear — the animal
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. pop — music
  16. bear — the animal
  17. chip — to eat
  18. march — music
  19. suit — clothes
  20. degree — from a university
  21. degree — an amount
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. march — the month
  24. chip — in 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