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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. capital — money
  5. craft — a skill
  6. craft — boats
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. rock — a stone
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. drill — the tool
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. capital — a city
  16. drill — a practice
  17. rock — music
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. wind — moving air
  20. wind — moving air
  21. stand — to bear
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. rock — to move gently

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