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: stand · deal · row · hand · firm · sharp · bulb · ground

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. bulb — for light
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. row — to paddle
  6. ground — crushed
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. firm — a company
  10. hand — help
  11. ground — a position
  12. stand — to bear
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. firm — decided
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. bulb — for light
  17. hand — in cards
  18. row — a line
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. deal — to handle
  21. firm — steady
  22. ground — the earth
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. row — a quarrel

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