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: suit · last · deal · scale · roll · present · staff · stick

  1. False peace will not ________________.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. staff — employees
  3. last — final
  4. suit — to fit
  5. present — a gift
  6. staff — employees
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. last — finally
  9. roll — a cake
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. deal — to handle
  12. present — there
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. staff — a stick
  16. roll — a list
  17. suit — in cards
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. scale — in music
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. suit — clothes
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. scale — size or range
  24. present — the time now

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