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: stand · degree · cell · fine · racket · bank

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. stand — to bear
  4. bank — for money
  5. degree — from a university
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. bank — of a river
  8. cell — a phone
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. degree — temperature
  12. fine — all right
  13. fine — high quality
  14. bank — for money
  15. cell — in biology
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. degree — an amount
  18. racket — a loud noise

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