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: cabinet · fine · chip · band · firm · stand · track · stem

  1. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. track — a path
  5. firm — steady
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. fine — all right
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. track — a song
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. chip — to eat
  12. chip — for betting
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. band — a ring
  15. fine — high quality
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. firm — a company
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. firm — decided
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. track — to keep track
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. stand — to bear
  24. stem — to come from

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