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: mark · firm · band · last · hand · net · pit · temple

  1. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. hand — in cards
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. firm — steady
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. firm — decided
  7. mark — a trace
  8. mark — a grade
  9. last — to go on
  10. band — a music group
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. net — after costs
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. net — for catching
  16. net — in sport
  17. hand — help
  18. firm — a company
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. pit — in a race
  21. last — finally
  22. pit — a hole
  23. band — a ring
  24. mark — to pay attention

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