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: bass · rush · safe · craft · content · arm · season · mate

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. craft — boats
  3. season — of the year
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. mate — to breed
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. mate — a friend
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. season — in sport
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. bass — low music
  14. mate — a partner
  15. content — happy
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. bass — the fish
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. content — the amount
  22. craft — a skill
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. rush — hurry

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