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: wave · face · staff · file · pit · stem · rest · ground

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. staff — employees
  5. pit — in a race
  6. file — a document
  7. face — part of the head
  8. stem — to come from
  9. ground — a position
  10. face — to point toward
  11. staff — a stick
  12. file — a tool
  13. file — a line of people
  14. rest — what's left
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. ground — crushed
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. face — to confront
  20. pit — a hole
  21. staff — employees
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. ground — the earth
  24. rest — what's left

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