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: fine · suit · saw · stick · bat · rush · ground · staff

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. staff — employees
  6. suit — in cards
  7. staff — employees
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. staff — a stick
  10. saw — the tool
  11. fine — all right
  12. rush — hurry
  13. ground — crushed
  14. suit — clothes
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. suit — to fit
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. bat — the animal
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. saw — the tool
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. ground — the earth
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. ground — a position

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