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

Word bank: mug · fork · lie · race · mark · stem · track · staff

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. staff — a stick
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. mug — to rob
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. race — the arms race
  8. mug — a cup
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. track — a song
  11. race — humankind
  12. lie — to recline
  13. stem — to come from
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. track — a path
  16. track — to keep track
  17. staff — employees
  18. race — a contest
  19. mark — a grade
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. fork — in a road
  22. mark — a trace
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. mug — a face

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