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: suit · band · rule · bound · march · tear · racket · stem

  1. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. bound — obliged
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. tear — to rip
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. suit — clothes
  8. suit — in cards
  9. band — a music group
  10. rule — a law
  11. march — the month
  12. stem — to come from
  13. rule — government
  14. tear — from crying
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. band — a ring
  18. march — the month
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. bound — tied together
  21. suit — to fit
  22. bound — certain
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. march — music

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