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: fan · suit · arm · season · lean · chest · craft · fall

  1. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. season — in sport
  3. craft — boats
  4. craft — a skill
  5. suit — clothes
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. suit — in cards
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. chest — of your body
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. lean — to bend
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. suit — to fit
  17. season — of the year
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. fall — to drop
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. chest — of your body
  22. lean — thin
  23. chest — a box
  24. fall — the season

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