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: present · staff · kick · root · charge · straw · toast · pass

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. staff — employees
  3. staff — employees
  4. pass — a permit
  5. present — a gift
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. root — the cause
  8. toast — bread
  9. charge — electricity
  10. charge — a price
  11. charge — in control
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. kick — in football
  14. staff — a stick
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. root — of a plant
  19. root — of a word
  20. present — there
  21. present — the time now
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. kick — a thrill

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