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 · band · cell · fall · branch · wax · temple · bank

  1. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. cell — a phone
  4. fall — to drop
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. band — a ring
  7. fall — to drop
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. stand — to bear
  10. bank — of a river
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. bank — for money
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. bank — for money
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. branch — a division
  19. band — a music group
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. fall — the season
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. wax — to grow

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