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: craft · bass · track · mouse · rash · field · rest · jam

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. rest — what's left
  5. track — a path
  6. bass — low music
  7. field — for sport
  8. track — a song
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. field — a subject
  11. craft — a skill
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. rash — a series
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. rest — what's left
  18. bass — the fish
  19. rest — a break
  20. track — to keep track
  21. field — farmland
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. rash — hasty
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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