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: suit · capital · chair · staff · bay · shower · stem · last

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. shower — rain
  3. staff — a stick
  4. last — final
  5. stem — to come from
  6. last — finally
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. chair — a leader
  10. capital — money
  11. suit — in cards
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. suit — to fit
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. shower — to wash
  18. last — to go on
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. staff — employees
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. suit — clothes
  23. staff — employees
  24. capital — a city

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