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 124 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: bank · present · fan · row · arm · bass · fall · mouse

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. bass — low music
  3. row — to paddle
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. present — a gift
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. fall — to drop
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. bank — for money
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. present — there
  14. fall — to drop
  15. row — a line
  16. bank — for money
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. bank — of a river
  22. bass — the fish
  23. present — the time now
  24. fall — the season

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