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 · date · bank · hide · bowl · plane · club · lean

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. staff — employees
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. lean — to bend
  7. club — for dancing
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. club — a group
  10. staff — employees
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. club — for golf
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. bank — of a river
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. bank — for money
  18. bank — for money
  19. lean — thin
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. date — the fruit
  24. plane — a tool

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