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: date · craft · rush · fine · vault · bass · chest · staff

  1. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. chest — of your body
  4. chest — a box
  5. date — the fruit
  6. craft — a skill
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. fine — high quality
  10. staff — employees
  11. staff — a stick
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. fine — all right
  15. vault — a safe
  16. staff — employees
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. rush — hurry
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. bass — low music
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. craft — boats
  23. bass — the fish
  24. craft — a handicraft

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