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: stick · cabinet · bound · object · season · lash · bass · lean

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. season — of the year
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. object — to protest
  5. lean — to bend
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. season — in sport
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. bound — obliged
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. lean — thin
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. object — a thing
  17. bound — tied together
  18. object — an aim
  19. bound — certain
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. bass — low music
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. lash — an eyelash

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