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: craft · bulb · firm · band · chip · rash · lash · stand

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. stand — to bear
  4. firm — steady
  5. rash — hasty
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bulb — for light
  8. firm — decided
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. chip — for betting
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. band — a music group
  14. craft — a skill
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. chip — to eat
  19. band — a ring
  20. rash — a series
  21. craft — boats
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. firm — a company

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