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: bank · kid · stand · branch · wake · stem · content · rash

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. kid — child
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. bank — of a river
  5. stem — to come from
  6. content — happy
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. branch — a division
  9. bank — for money
  10. stand — to bear
  11. kid — to tease
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. rash — hasty
  15. content — the amount
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. bank — for money
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. wake — a trail

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