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: bay · pass · saw · lean · staff · date · sharp · rash

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. saw — the tool
  4. pass — a permit
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. rash — hasty
  8. lean — thin
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. rash — a series
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. lean — to bend
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. staff — a stick
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. date — the fruit
  17. sharp — clever
  18. saw — the tool
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. staff — employees
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. date — on the calendar

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