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 · stem · capital · safe · stock · ground · staff · last

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. suit — to fit
  3. staff — employees
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. ground — crushed
  6. stock — shares
  7. last — to go on
  8. capital — a city
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. last — final
  12. staff — employees
  13. stem — to come from
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. capital — money
  16. stock — goods
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. ground — a position
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. suit — clothes
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. last — finally
  23. suit — in cards
  24. staff — a stick

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