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 · staff · spell · bound · stand · bat · current · jam

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. stand — to bear
  3. spell — letters
  4. bound — tied together
  5. staff — employees
  6. bound — obliged
  7. bank — for money
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. current — happening now
  12. current — of water
  13. spell — magic
  14. spell — a short time
  15. bank — of a river
  16. staff — a stick
  17. current — electric
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. bound — certain
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. bat — the animal
  24. bank — for money

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