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: racket · bank · present · bowl · stand · fan · stem · ground

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. stand — to bear
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. present — there
  5. ground — the earth
  6. present — a gift
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. bank — for money
  12. bank — for money
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. ground — crushed
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. present — the time now
  19. ground — a position
  20. bank — of a river
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. stem — to come from
  24. bowl — to roll

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