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: snap · lash · land · stock · staff · patient · cabinet · bank

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. staff — employees
  3. bank — for money
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. stock — goods
  6. bank — of a river
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. staff — employees
  13. stock — shares
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. snap — to click
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. bank — for money
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. land — ground
  23. land — to come down
  24. land — a country

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