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 · roll · bark · lean · cap · stand · pass · staff

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. staff — employees
  4. cap — a lid
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. cap — a hat
  10. staff — employees
  11. lean — to bend
  12. stand — to bear
  13. cap — of ice
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. lean — thin
  16. pass — a permit
  17. staff — a stick
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. bark — to shout
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. roll — a cake
  24. roll — a list

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