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 · can · band · press · stand · rest · foot · cell

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. band — a ring
  3. bank — of a river
  4. can — a tin
  5. cell — a phone
  6. bank — for money
  7. press — to push
  8. band — a music group
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. can — to be able to
  11. press — a publisher
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. foot — a measure
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. stand — to bear
  17. rest — what's left
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. can — a tin
  20. rest — what's left
  21. rest — a break
  22. press — newspapers
  23. cell — in biology
  24. band — a rubber band

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