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: firm · capital · pit · bank · stand · stem

  1. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. 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. capital — a city
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. bank — for money
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. firm — steady
  8. stem — to come from
  9. capital — money
  10. bank — for money
  11. firm — decided
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. stand — to bear
  15. bank — of a river
  16. pit — in a race
  17. pit — a hole
  18. 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