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 120 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: spell · fall · stand · bank · season · cap · clip · rest

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. fall — the season
  3. rest — what's left
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. bank — for money
  6. clip — to cut
  7. season — of the year
  8. fall — to drop
  9. cap — of ice
  10. rest — a break
  11. stand — to bear
  12. spell — a short time
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. fall — to drop
  15. clip — a video
  16. clip — for paper
  17. bank — for money
  18. season — in sport
  19. spell — magic
  20. bank — of a river
  21. cap — a hat
  22. rest — what's left
  23. cap — a lid
  24. spell — letters

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