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: season · arm · cap · stock · mark · lean · rash · date

  1. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. cap — a lid
  3. cap — of ice
  4. lean — to bend
  5. season — of the year
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. mark — a trace
  10. lean — thin
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. date — the fruit
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. rash — hasty
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. stock — goods
  18. rash — a series
  19. cap — a hat
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. stock — shares
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. mark — a grade

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