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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. craft — boats
  3. rash — hasty
  4. mate — to breed
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. staff — employees
  7. mate — a partner
  8. bass — the fish
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. bass — low music
  13. hand — help
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. staff — a stick
  16. hand — in cards
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. staff — employees
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. craft — a skill
  21. mate — a friend
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. rash — a series

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