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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. bound — tied together
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. bass — low music
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. bass — the fish
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. bound — obliged
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. mark — a grade
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. mark — a trace
  24. bound — certain

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