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 · bear · club · lean · craft · bass · rash · firm

  1. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. firm — steady
  3. firm — decided
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. bass — the fish
  6. rash — hasty
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. craft — boats
  9. rash — a series
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. bass — low music
  13. club — a group
  14. bear — the animal
  15. craft — a skill
  16. lean — thin
  17. bear — the animal
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. firm — a company
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. club — for golf
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. club — for dancing
  24. arm — a part of something

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