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: suit · arm · net · bank · swing · present · sharp · band

  1. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. swing — in golf
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. swing — to play on
  6. sharp — clever
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. bank — for money
  10. present — the time now
  11. suit — in cards
  12. suit — to fit
  13. bank — of a river
  14. net — after costs
  15. present — there
  16. swing — music
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. present — a gift
  19. suit — clothes
  20. net — for catching
  21. net — in sport
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. band — a music group
  24. bank — for money

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