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: firm · band · court · lie · stem · chair · wake · rush

  1. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. firm — decided
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. lie — to recline
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. firm — steady
  9. band — a ring
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. rush — hurry
  13. court — of law
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. firm — a company
  16. court — of a king
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. wake — a trail
  20. stem — to come from
  21. court — for sport
  22. band — a music group
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. chair — a leader

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