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: bulb · rest · arm · lean · bowl · sharp

  1. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. lean — to bend
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. sharp — clever
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. rest — a break
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. rest — what's left
  14. lean — thin
  15. bulb — for light
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. rest — what's left

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