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: rush · wake · lie · craft · mouse · safe · band · rash

  1. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. craft — a skill
  5. band — a ring
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. rash — hasty
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. lie — to recline
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. rush — hurry
  20. rash — a series
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. craft — boats
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. wake — a trail

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