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: bank · arm · rash · plane · staff · last · cabinet · land

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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. land — ground
  4. last — to go on
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. rash — a series
  9. bank — for money
  10. staff — employees
  11. last — finally
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. land — to come down
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. plane — a tool
  17. last — final
  18. rash — hasty
  19. land — a country
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. bank — for money
  22. bank — of a river
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. arm — part of the body

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