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: stick · craft · jam · pop · bass · mate · fall · foot

  1. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. fall — to drop
  5. craft — boats
  6. mate — a friend
  7. bass — low music
  8. pop — music
  9. fall — to drop
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. craft — a skill
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. mate — a partner
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. foot — a measure
  20. pop — to visit
  21. mate — to breed
  22. fall — the season
  23. bass — the fish
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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