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

Word bank: wax · field · bank · firm · stem · hide · club · suit

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. club — for golf
  3. stem — to come from
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. suit — to fit
  7. wax — to grow
  8. firm — a company
  9. suit — in cards
  10. club — for dancing
  11. bank — of a river
  12. bank — for money
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. firm — decided
  16. field — a subject
  17. suit — clothes
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. club — a group
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. field — for sport
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. bank — for money
  24. field — farmland

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