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: band · bear · ruler · season · arm · scale · staff · ball

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. ball — a great time
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. bear — the animal
  5. scale — in music
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. season — of the year
  8. band — a ring
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. staff — employees
  11. bear — the animal
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. ball — a dance
  17. season — in sport
  18. band — a music group
  19. scale — size or range
  20. staff — a stick
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. staff — employees
  24. bear — to put up with

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