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 · tear · bass · mark · vault · club · scale · deal

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. bass — the fish
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. club — for dancing
  7. mark — a trace
  8. scale — size or range
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. craft — boats
  11. vault — a safe
  12. club — a group
  13. scale — in music
  14. club — for golf
  15. tear — from crying
  16. mark — a grade
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. bass — low music
  20. tear — to rip
  21. craft — a skill
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. tear — from crying
  24. craft — a handicraft

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