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: capital · stand · band · row · dip · bulb · bank · wake

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. row — to paddle
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. dip — to sink
  7. capital — money
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. row — a line
  10. bank — for money
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. band — a ring
  13. stand — to bear
  14. bank — for money
  15. bank — of a river
  16. capital — a city
  17. wake — a trail
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. bulb — for light
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. bulb — for light
  24. band — a music group

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