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: stem · key · stick · staff · pound · nail · hand · tube

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. staff — a stick
  4. tube — a container
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. pound — a weight
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. stem — to come from
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. key — in music
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. key — for a lock
  16. tube — the underground
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. key — the most important part
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. hand — help
  22. hand — in cards
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. staff — employees

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