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 116 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. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. staff — employees
  3. track — a song
  4. stem — to come from
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. ground — the earth
  7. pit — in a race
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. staff — a stick
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. ground — crushed
  12. key — in music
  13. chip — for betting
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. key — for a lock
  16. track — to keep track
  17. ground — a position
  18. track — a path
  19. pit — a hole
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. chip — to eat
  24. key — the most important part

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