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 · bark · lie · pitch · wax · bass · key · file

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. craft — boats
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. craft — a skill
  7. bass — the fish
  8. key — in music
  9. key — the most important part
  10. bass — low music
  11. lie — to recline
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. file — a tool
  14. bark — to shout
  15. file — a document
  16. pitch — completely
  17. file — a line of people
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. key — for a lock
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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