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: chair · wax · press · racket · lean · stem · march · bank

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. bank — for money
  3. press — to push
  4. press — newspapers
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. march — the month
  7. bank — for money
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. wax — to grow
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. bank — of a river
  15. press — a publisher
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. lean — to bend
  18. march — music
  19. march — the month
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. lean — thin
  22. chair — a leader
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. stem — a stem cell

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