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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. roll — a list
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. bass — the fish
  5. craft — boats
  6. rash — hasty
  7. last — finally
  8. stock — goods
  9. bass — low music
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. chip — for betting
  12. rash — a series
  13. last — to go on
  14. last — final
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. craft — a skill
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. roll — a cake
  20. chip — to eat
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. stock — shares
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. rash — on the skin

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