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: staff · pass · fall · root · safe · spring · mate · scale

  1. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. scale — size or range
  3. fall — to drop
  4. mate — a partner
  5. mate — a friend
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. scale — in music
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. root — of a word
  10. pass — a permit
  11. root — of a plant
  12. fall — the season
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. mate — to breed
  17. fall — to drop
  18. spring — of water
  19. staff — employees
  20. spring — a coil
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. staff — a stick
  23. root — the cause
  24. spring — the season

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