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 can't ________________ this cold.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. stem — to come from
  4. bank — for money
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. season — of the year
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. spring — the season
  10. wake — a trail
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. pound — a weight
  13. bank — of a river
  14. root — the cause
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. bank — for money
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. root — of a plant
  20. root — of a word
  21. spring — a coil
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. season — in sport
  24. spring — of water

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