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: staff · pass · ground · ball · suit · plane · mine · pit

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. ball — a dance
  4. ground — crushed
  5. plane — a tool
  6. ball — a great time
  7. suit — in cards
  8. ground — a position
  9. suit — clothes
  10. pit — a hole
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. pass — a permit
  14. ground — the earth
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. suit — to fit
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. staff — employees
  21. mine — for digging
  22. pit — in a race
  23. staff — employees
  24. plane — in geometry

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