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

Word bank: foot · cell · stand · lie · staff · press

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. cell — a phone
  3. staff — a stick
  4. lie — to recline
  5. press — a publisher
  6. staff — employees
  7. foot — a measure
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. cell — in biology
  11. staff — employees
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. stand — to bear
  15. press — to push
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. press — newspapers
  18. lie — an untruth

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