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: net · pass · bulb · hide · cell · stand · sharp · bank

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. net — in sport
  6. bulb — for light
  7. pass — a permit
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. net — for catching
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. bank — for money
  12. net — after costs
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. bank — for money
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. cell — in biology
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bank — of a river
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. cell — a phone
  24. stand — to bear

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