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: spell · season · arm · lean · march · present · court · bass

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. bass — low music
  5. spell — a short time
  6. present — there
  7. spell — magic
  8. season — of the year
  9. bass — the fish
  10. court — of a king
  11. present — the time now
  12. court — of law
  13. march — the month
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. present — a gift
  16. court — for sport
  17. season — in sport
  18. spell — letters
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. lean — to bend
  22. march — music
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. march — the month

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