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: net · stand · prune · roll · saw · bank · fan · stem

  1. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. saw — the tool
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. net — after costs
  8. bank — for money
  9. net — in sport
  10. net — for catching
  11. saw — the tool
  12. prune — to trim
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. stand — to bear
  15. prune — to trim
  16. bank — for money
  17. bank — of a river
  18. stem — to come from
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. roll — a list
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. stem — of a plant

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