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: staff · stock · craft · lash · mate · field · ball · bass

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. staff — employees
  4. staff — employees
  5. bass — low music
  6. ball — a dance
  7. mate — to breed
  8. stock — shares
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. stock — goods
  11. staff — a stick
  12. craft — boats
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. field — a subject
  16. field — for sport
  17. mate — a partner
  18. mate — a friend
  19. bass — the fish
  20. field — farmland
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. ball — a great time
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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