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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. fall — to drop
  3. fall — to drop
  4. band — a ring
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. bear — the animal
  8. band — a music group
  9. firm — steady
  10. stand — to bear
  11. branch — a division
  12. club — a group
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. fall — the season
  15. toast — bread
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. bear — the animal
  18. club — for golf
  19. firm — a company
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. firm — decided
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. stand — on your feet

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