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: tube · bark · craft · ball · mouse · jam · vault · bass

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. craft — a skill
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. ball — a great time
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. ball — a dance
  11. bass — the fish
  12. bass — low music
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. bark — to shout
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. tube — a container
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. vault — a safe
  22. craft — boats
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. ball — a round shape

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