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 · foot · ball · wax · bank · pitch · rule · spring

  1. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. ball — a great time
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. rule — government
  6. rule — a law
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. wax — to grow
  10. ball — a dance
  11. bank — for money
  12. pitch — completely
  13. foot — a measure
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. spring — the season
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. bank — of a river
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. stand — to bear
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. bank — for money
  24. spring — a coil

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