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 · stick · rush · tube · plane · racket · march · mug

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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. rush — hurry
  3. suit — in cards
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. march — the month
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. march — the month
  9. mug — a cup
  10. tube — a container
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. tube — the underground
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. mug — to rob
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. mug — a face
  19. suit — to fit
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. plane — a tool
  22. suit — clothes
  23. march — music
  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