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: lash · fan · row · staff · lean · bass · wave · march

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. row — to paddle
  3. lean — to bend
  4. staff — employees
  5. bass — the fish
  6. march — the month
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. staff — a stick
  10. bass — low music
  11. staff — employees
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. march — the month
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. lean — thin
  20. march — music
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. row — a line
  24. wave — of the sea

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