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: stand · racket · leaves · band · bank · ground · present · club

  1. There's no middle ________________.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. band — a music group
  4. band — a ring
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. bank — for money
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. present — there
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. present — the time now
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. club — for dancing
  15. club — for golf
  16. ground — crushed
  17. bank — of a river
  18. present — a gift
  19. ground — the earth
  20. club — a group
  21. stand — to bear
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. bank — for money
  24. leaves — of a tree

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