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: land · staff · rush · mate · key · chip · can · bat

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. bat — the animal
  4. staff — employees
  5. can — a tin
  6. mate — a friend
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. rush — hurry
  10. mate — a partner
  11. chip — to eat
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. land — ground
  14. land — to come down
  15. chip — for betting
  16. key — for a lock
  17. key — in music
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. mate — to breed
  20. key — the most important part
  21. staff — employees
  22. staff — a stick
  23. can — a tin
  24. land — a country

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