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: rash · chair · firm · clip · bulb · rock · rush · cap

  1. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. firm — decided
  3. rash — a series
  4. cap — of ice
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. firm — a company
  8. rock — music
  9. clip — to cut
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. clip — a video
  13. firm — steady
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. rock — a stone
  17. cap — a hat
  18. chair — a leader
  19. rush — hurry
  20. clip — for paper
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. bulb — for light
  23. cap — a lid
  24. bulb — for light

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