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: pop · stick · net · sharp · firm · hand · plane · season

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  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. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. hand — in cards
  3. hand — help
  4. firm — decided
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. season — in sport
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. firm — steady
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. firm — a company
  13. net — in sport
  14. net — after costs
  15. season — of the year
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. pop — to visit
  18. pop — soda
  19. sharp — clever
  20. net — for catching
  21. plane — a tool
  22. pop — music
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  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