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: bass · stand · mark · wind · can · pitcher · hand · firm

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. mark — a trace
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. firm — steady
  6. can — a tin
  7. wind — moving air
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. hand — in cards
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. bass — low music
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. stand — to bear
  15. bass — the fish
  16. firm — a company
  17. hand — help
  18. can — to be able to
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. firm — decided
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. wind — moving air
  24. mark — a grade

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