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 120 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: cell · patient · stand · face · bank · clip · suit · wake

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. bank — of a river
  3. clip — to cut
  4. cell — a phone
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. clip — for paper
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. cell — in biology
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. face — to point toward
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. wake — a trail
  13. stand — to bear
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. clip — a video
  17. face — part of the head
  18. suit — to fit
  19. suit — in cards
  20. bank — for money
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. face — to confront
  23. bank — for money
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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