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: stem · saw · dip · clip · suit · nail · pit · march

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  19. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. suit — in cards
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. march — music
  6. saw — the tool
  7. saw — the tool
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. clip — to cut
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. suit — to fit
  12. stem — to come from
  13. march — the month
  14. dip — to sink
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. march — the month
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. clip — for paper
  19. clip — a video
  20. pit — in a race
  21. pit — a hole
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. suit — clothes

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