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: racket · firm · fan · hand · plane · foot · stand · bound

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. hand — help
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. stand — to bear
  6. firm — decided
  7. firm — steady
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. bound — tied together
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. foot — a measure
  13. plane — a tool
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. hand — in cards
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. bound — certain
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. firm — a company
  23. bound — obliged
  24. hand — part of the body

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