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 · game · prune · fork · hide · nail · bass · mouse

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. craft — boats
  4. craft — a skill
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. prune — to trim
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. fork — in a road
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. game — a match
  16. bass — the fish
  17. prune — to trim
  18. bass — low music
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. game — wild animals
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. nail — on a finger

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