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 116 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: can · track · capital · stem · land · stand · march · current

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. stem — to come from
  5. march — the month
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. track — a path
  8. can — a tin
  9. capital — a city
  10. can — to be able to
  11. current — happening now
  12. march — the month
  13. capital — money
  14. can — a tin
  15. land — to come down
  16. current — of water
  17. track — a song
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. march — music
  20. land — a country
  21. land — ground
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. current — electric
  24. track — to keep track

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