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: bass · rash · craft · roll · pitcher · lean · wake · bark

  1. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. lean — to bend
  7. craft — a skill
  8. lean — thin
  9. roll — a cake
  10. bark — to shout
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. rash — hasty
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. craft — boats
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. bass — the fish
  19. wake — a trail
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. rash — a series
  22. bass — low music
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. pitcher — a jug

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