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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. foot — a measure
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. court — for sport
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. court — of law
  10. bound — tied together
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. rush — hurry
  13. court — of a king
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. bound — certain
  18. bass — the fish
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. bound — obliged
  21. bass — low music
  22. lie — to recline
  23. craft — a skill
  24. perch — the fish

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