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: season · bulb · mug · perch · arm · lie · face · bay

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. perch — the fish
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. face — to point toward
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. mug — a face
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. season — in sport
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. face — part of the head
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. mug — to rob
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. bulb — for light
  21. lie — to recline
  22. season — of the year
  23. face — to confront
  24. mug — a cup

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