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: firm · band · bay · chair · season · sharp · lash · rush

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  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. firm — steady
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. band — a ring
  6. chair — a leader
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. firm — a company
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. rush — hurry
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. season — of the year
  19. band — a music group
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. season — in sport
  22. firm — decided
  23. rush — a thrill
  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