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: band · ball · bank · stand · craft · temple · net · clip

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. craft — a skill
  3. band — a ring
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. net — after costs
  9. bank — for money
  10. stand — to bear
  11. band — a music group
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. craft — boats
  16. net — for catching
  17. ball — a great time
  18. bank — for money
  19. ball — a dance
  20. clip — a video
  21. net — in sport
  22. clip — to cut
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. clip — for paper

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