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: hand · band · swing · cap · firm · suit · bulb · sharp

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. cap — a lid
  3. firm — a company
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. suit — in cards
  6. band — a ring
  7. cap — of ice
  8. firm — decided
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. suit — to fit
  11. swing — to play on
  12. swing — music
  13. bulb — for light
  14. cap — a hat
  15. swing — in golf
  16. suit — clothes
  17. band — a music group
  18. firm — steady
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. hand — help
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. bulb — for light
  24. sharp — clever

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