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: ball · racket · bank · plane · stem · can · pass · band

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. stem — to come from
  4. ball — a great time
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. ball — a dance
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. bank — of a river
  9. band — a music group
  10. can — a tin
  11. pass — a permit
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. bank — for money
  14. band — a ring
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. can — a tin
  19. bank — for money
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. can — to be able to
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. plane — a tool
  24. plane — an aircraft

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