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: fan · clip · sharp · jam · net · spell · stand · hand

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. net — in sport
  4. clip — a video
  5. hand — in cards
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. spell — a short time
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. hand — help
  13. clip — to cut
  14. stand — to bear
  15. net — for catching
  16. spell — letters
  17. clip — for paper
  18. net — after costs
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. sharp — clever
  23. spell — magic
  24. fan — a supporter

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