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: arm · cabinet · fan · stand · staff · lash · stem · mark

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. staff — employees
  3. stand — to bear
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. staff — a stick
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. staff — employees
  22. stem — to come from
  23. mark — a trace
  24. arm — a part of something

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