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 116 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: bank · degree · bark · stick · bass · hand · stand · sharp

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. sharp — clever
  6. degree — an amount
  7. hand — help
  8. bank — for money
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. bank — for money
  12. degree — from a university
  13. bass — the fish
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. hand — in cards
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. bass — low music
  19. bank — of a river
  20. bark — to shout
  21. degree — temperature
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. stand — to bear
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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