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: wave · scale · cabinet · arm · calf · press · bass · fork

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. bass — the fish
  3. scale — size or range
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. fork — in a road
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. press — newspapers
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. scale — in music
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. press — to push
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. bass — low music
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. press — a publisher
  24. wave — of the sea

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