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. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. stand — to bear
  4. staff — a stick
  5. staff — employees
  6. row — a line
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. rush — hurry
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. bear — the animal
  12. row — to paddle
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. root — of a plant
  18. root — of a word
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. root — the cause
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. bear — the animal
  24. bear — to put up with

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