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: fall · content · bass · lean · bank · calf · spell · can

  1. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. spell — magic
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. can — to be able to
  5. lean — thin
  6. bass — low music
  7. content — happy
  8. fall — the season
  9. bank — of a river
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. lean — to bend
  13. spell — a short time
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. bank — for money
  16. fall — to drop
  17. content — the amount
  18. spell — letters
  19. can — a tin
  20. bank — for money
  21. can — a tin
  22. bass — the fish
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. fall — to drop

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