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: stand · row · staff · rule · trunk · mate · bound · mine

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. mine — for digging
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. rule — a law
  5. staff — employees
  6. row — to paddle
  7. mate — a partner
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. rule — government
  10. row — a line
  11. bound — obliged
  12. mate — to breed
  13. mate — a friend
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. staff — a stick
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. bound — tied together
  21. bound — certain
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. stand — to bear
  24. rule — to rule out

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