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: stand · band · mate · fall · wax · firm · pitcher · bulb

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. wax — to grow
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. fall — the season
  6. fall — to drop
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. band — a ring
  9. bulb — for light
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. mate — a partner
  12. band — a music group
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. mate — to breed
  15. bulb — for light
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. stand — to bear
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. firm — decided
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. mate — a friend
  23. firm — a company
  24. fall — to drop

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