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: fan · court · bowl · lash · rush · scale · bass · lean

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. court — for sport
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. court — of law
  10. scale — in music
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. lean — to bend
  15. scale — size or range
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. bass — low music
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. lean — thin
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. rush — hurry
  24. court — of a king

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