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 120 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: foot · wound · stem · staff · bat · bay · key · leaves

  1. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. wound — an injury
  4. staff — a stick
  5. staff — employees
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. foot — a measure
  15. wound — an injury
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. bat — the animal
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. key — for a lock
  22. key — in music
  23. stem — to come from
  24. key — the most important part

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