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: bat · scale · rush · bay · ruler · squash · craft · fall

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. fall — to drop
  6. scale — size or range
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. scale — in music
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. fall — the season
  14. rush — hurry
  15. fall — to drop
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. craft — a skill
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. squash — to crush
  22. squash — the sport
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. bat — the animal

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