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 · dip · bay · key · lean · bark · saw · rest

  1. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. staff — a stick
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. bark — to shout
  6. dip — to sink
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. key — for a lock
  12. staff — employees
  13. key — in music
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. rest — what's left
  17. lean — thin
  18. rest — a break
  19. rest — what's left
  20. key — the most important part
  21. staff — employees
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. saw — the tool
  24. lean — to bend

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