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: swing · craft · lie · rush · wake · club · band · roll

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. band — a music group
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. swing — to play on
  5. craft — a skill
  6. wake — a trail
  7. roll — a cake
  8. swing — music
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. roll — a list
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. band — a ring
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. swing — in golf
  17. club — for golf
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. club — a group
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. rush — hurry
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. lie — to recline
  24. club — for dancing

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