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: pop · stick · net · sharp · firm · hand

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. pop — to visit
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. hand — help
  9. sharp — clever
  10. net — in sport
  11. pop — soda
  12. hand — in cards
  13. net — for catching
  14. net — after costs
  15. firm — decided
  16. pop — music
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. firm — steady

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