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: fine · mouse · file · rush · bank · craft · chest · bass

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. craft — a skill
  3. rush — hurry
  4. chest — a box
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. file — a line of people
  7. chest — of your body
  8. file — a document
  9. file — a tool
  10. bank — of a river
  11. craft — boats
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. fine — all right
  16. bank — for money
  17. bass — the fish
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. bass — low music
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. bank — for money
  24. chest — of your body

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