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: wake · wave · bound · march · prune · stand · bank · foot

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. march — the month
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. wake — a trail
  5. bound — obliged
  6. prune — to trim
  7. march — music
  8. bank — for money
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. stand — to bear
  13. prune — to trim
  14. foot — a measure
  15. march — the month
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. bound — tied together
  20. bank — of a river
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. bound — certain
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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