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: coach · staff · bay · arm · degree · mate · nail · stem

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. staff — a stick
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. mate — a friend
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. mate — to breed
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. mate — a partner
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. stem — to come from
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. staff — employees
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. degree — temperature
  22. degree — from a university
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. degree — an amount

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