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 · fine · band · mine · bay · press · lean · season

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. fine — all right
  4. press — newspapers
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. band — a ring
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. press — a publisher
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. season — of the year
  14. lean — to bend
  15. press — to push
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. band — a music group
  20. mine — for digging
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. fine — high quality
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. season — in sport

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