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: patient · bass · lash · band · bark · pound · craft · vault

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. bass — low music
  4. band — a ring
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. pound — a weight
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. craft — boats
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. craft — a skill
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. band — a music group
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. vault — a safe
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. bass — the fish

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