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 116 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: bass · mug · lean · clip · deal · perch · craft · race

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. clip — to cut
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. craft — boats
  7. bass — the fish
  8. clip — for paper
  9. mug — a cup
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. deal — to handle
  13. mug — to rob
  14. bass — low music
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. race — the arms race
  17. lean — to bend
  18. race — humankind
  19. perch — the fish
  20. craft — a skill
  21. race — a contest
  22. clip — a video
  23. mug — a face
  24. deal — a big deal

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