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 · cabinet · craft · land · club · bass · last · pit

  1. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. club — for dancing
  3. bass — low music
  4. club — for golf
  5. fall — to drop
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. last — to go on
  8. craft — boats
  9. club — a group
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. pit — in a race
  13. fall — the season
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. last — final
  16. bass — the fish
  17. land — a country
  18. land — ground
  19. craft — a skill
  20. fall — to drop
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. land — to come down
  23. pit — a hole
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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