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: bank · suit · mark · rush · stem · present · jam · saw

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. suit — in cards
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. suit — clothes
  6. bank — for money
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. rush — hurry
  10. saw — the tool
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. present — there
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. present — a gift
  15. stem — to come from
  16. present — the time now
  17. mark — a grade
  18. bank — for money
  19. saw — the tool
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. mark — a trace
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. bank — of a river

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