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: fall · craft · chair · bass · scale · snap · bank · firm

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. scale — size or range
  3. fall — to drop
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. snap — to click
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. craft — a skill
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. bank — of a river
  10. bank — for money
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. fall — the season
  13. chair — a leader
  14. bass — the fish
  15. fall — to drop
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. firm — decided
  18. bank — for money
  19. firm — steady
  20. scale — in music
  21. bass — low music
  22. firm — a company
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. craft — boats

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