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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: wake · bank · arm · perch · bass · rule · wave · craft

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. wake — a trail
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. bank — for money
  6. rule — a law
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. perch — the fish
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. bass — the fish
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. bank — for money
  17. bank — of a river
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. rule — government
  21. bass — low music
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. craft — boats

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