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: fine · craft · bass · club · lie · cap · wake · stand

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. lie — to recline
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. cap — a lid
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. stand — to bear
  7. club — a group
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. fine — high quality
  10. cap — a hat
  11. craft — a skill
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. fine — all right
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. craft — boats
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. bass — the fish
  18. cap — of ice
  19. bass — low music
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. club — for dancing
  23. wake — a trail
  24. club — for golf

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