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 · bass · calf · saw · press · deal · file · spell

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. bass — low music
  4. saw — the tool
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. press — to push
  7. file — a tool
  8. file — a line of people
  9. bass — the fish
  10. saw — the tool
  11. deal — to handle
  12. spell — letters
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. press — newspapers
  16. file — a document
  17. spell — a short time
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. craft — boats
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. press — a publisher
  23. craft — a skill
  24. calf — a young animal

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