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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. club — a group
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. club — for golf
  9. deal — to handle
  10. stem — to come from
  11. saw — the tool
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. capital — a city
  14. bank — of a river
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. stand — to bear
  17. club — for dancing
  18. bank — for money
  19. band — a ring
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. band — a music group
  22. saw — the tool
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. capital — 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