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: net · scale · wave · club · toast · charge · arm · lean

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. scale — size or range
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. toast — bread
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. lean — thin
  8. scale — in music
  9. club — a group
  10. club — for golf
  11. charge — electricity
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. charge — a price
  16. lean — to bend
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. club — for dancing
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. charge — in control
  22. net — in sport
  23. net — after costs
  24. net — for catching

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