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: band · field · stem · bank · march · fan · bowl · suit

  1. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. suit — clothes
  5. bank — for money
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. march — the month
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. stem — to come from
  11. bank — for money
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. march — the month
  14. bank — of a river
  15. suit — in cards
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. band — a ring
  18. field — farmland
  19. band — a music group
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. field — for sport
  23. field — a subject
  24. suit — to fit

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