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: last · file · face · root · staff · stem · key · plane

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. last — final
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. last — to go on
  7. last — finally
  8. staff — a stick
  9. root — the cause
  10. face — part of the head
  11. stem — to come from
  12. face — to confront
  13. staff — employees
  14. file — a line of people
  15. plane — a tool
  16. file — a document
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. key — in music
  19. staff — employees
  20. key — for a lock
  21. face — to point toward
  22. root — of a word
  23. root — of a plant
  24. key — the most important part

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