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 120 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. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. pit — in a race
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. craft — a skill
  8. pit — a hole
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. object — a thing
  12. mark — a trace
  13. craft — boats
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. track — a song
  16. object — to protest
  17. mark — a grade
  18. bass — low music
  19. track — to keep track
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. rock — music
  22. object — an aim
  23. track — a path
  24. rock — a stone

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