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: fall · staff · tear · stand · chip · root · pass · bat

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. staff — employees
  3. bat — the animal
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. tear — to rip
  7. chip — to eat
  8. stand — to bear
  9. tear — from crying
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. root — the cause
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. root — of a plant
  14. chip — for betting
  15. tear — from crying
  16. fall — to drop
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. pass — a permit
  19. root — of a word
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. fall — the season
  23. staff — employees
  24. fall — to drop

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