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: spring · nail · prune · kid · bass · coach · rock · craft

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. spring — a coil
  3. bass — low music
  4. rock — a stone
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. kid — to tease
  12. craft — boats
  13. prune — to trim
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. spring — of water
  17. bass — the fish
  18. rock — music
  19. kid — child
  20. spring — the season
  21. prune — to trim
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. craft — a skill
  24. bass — the instrument

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