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: arm · object · season · wave · bass · chair · sharp · can

  1. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. can — a tin
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. object — a thing
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. bass — the fish
  7. bass — low music
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. season — in sport
  12. chair — a leader
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. object — to protest
  16. can — to be able to
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. object — an aim
  20. season — of the year
  21. can — a tin
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. sharp — clever

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