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: bound · stand · fine · sharp · chair · roll · net · firm

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. roll — a cake
  3. fine — high quality
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. bound — certain
  6. firm — steady
  7. sharp — clever
  8. bound — tied together
  9. firm — decided
  10. stand — to bear
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. net — in sport
  13. firm — a company
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. fine — all right
  17. net — for catching
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. bound — obliged
  20. roll — a list
  21. net — after costs
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. chair — a leader
  24. chair — a professorship

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