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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. sharp — clever
  4. last — finally
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. wake — a trail
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. chip — for betting
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. staff — employees
  12. press — to push
  13. stand — to bear
  14. staff — a stick
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. last — final
  17. press — a publisher
  18. last — to go on
  19. mine — for digging
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. chip — to eat
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. press — newspapers

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