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: rest · trunk · season · bass · lean · lie · bear · field

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. lean — to bend
  4. rest — a break
  5. rest — what's left
  6. bass — the fish
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. field — for sport
  9. season — of the year
  10. season — in sport
  11. rest — what's left
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. lean — thin
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. bear — the animal
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. bass — low music
  20. lie — to recline
  21. bear — the animal
  22. field — farmland
  23. field — a subject
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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