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: bank · cue · stand · field · foot · clip · current · net

  1. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. stand — to bear
  3. net — for catching
  4. bank — for money
  5. foot — a measure
  6. current — electric
  7. current — of water
  8. clip — for paper
  9. clip — a video
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. field — a subject
  12. field — farmland
  13. bank — of a river
  14. net — after costs
  15. cue — for pool
  16. clip — to cut
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. cue — a hint
  20. net — in sport
  21. cue — a signal
  22. field — for sport
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. bank — for money

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