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 120 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: temple · craft · fork · pound · prune · field · dip · bass

  1. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. field — farmland
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. prune — to trim
  5. dip — to sink
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. field — a subject
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. craft — boats
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. pound — a weight
  15. craft — a skill
  16. prune — to trim
  17. fork — in a road
  18. bass — the fish
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. field — for sport

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