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: rash · fine · pound · last · craft · pop · bear · coach

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. pop — soda
  3. last — to go on
  4. craft — a skill
  5. last — finally
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. pop — music
  10. pound — a weight
  11. pop — to visit
  12. fine — all right
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. fine — high quality
  17. bear — the animal
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. bear — the animal
  21. rash — a series
  22. last — final
  23. rash — hasty
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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