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

  1. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. pop — to visit
  6. staff — employees
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. cap — a lid
  9. charge — a price
  10. land — a country
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. charge — electricity
  13. pop — soda
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. charge — in control
  16. land — to come down
  17. land — ground
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. pop — music
  20. staff — a stick
  21. foot — a measure
  22. cap — of ice
  23. cap — a hat
  24. rush — hurry

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