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

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. branch — a division
  4. stand — to bear
  5. tube — a container
  6. ball — a dance
  7. bound — obliged
  8. bound — tied together
  9. pass — a permit
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. march — the month
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. rash — a series
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. rash — hasty
  17. march — the month
  18. ball — a great time
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. bound — certain
  21. march — music
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. tube — the underground

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