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: wave · nail · cabinet · coach · stem · hand · staff · pit

  1. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. pit — in a race
  4. pit — a hole
  5. stem — to come from
  6. staff — a stick
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. staff — employees
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. hand — help
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. hand — in cards
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. coach — a trainer

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