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: roll · bank · pop · board · face · vault · stem · stand

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. board — a committee
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. stem — to come from
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. pop — music
  7. board — to get on
  8. face — part of the head
  9. vault — a safe
  10. pop — soda
  11. bank — for money
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. roll — a list
  14. face — to confront
  15. bank — for money
  16. pop — to visit
  17. stand — to bear
  18. roll — a cake
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. face — to point toward
  22. bank — of a river
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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