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: saw · wave · craft · tear · stock · bass · lean · pop

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. bass — the fish
  4. saw — the tool
  5. lean — thin
  6. bass — low music
  7. pop — to visit
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. tear — from crying
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. stock — shares
  13. saw — the tool
  14. craft — boats
  15. tear — to rip
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. stock — goods
  19. pop — soda
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. pop — music
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. tear — from crying
  24. lean — to bend

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