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: capital · wave · craft · drill · stand · patient

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. craft — a skill
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. drill — army training
  8. capital — money
  9. drill — the tool
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. capital — a city
  12. stand — to bear
  13. drill — a practice
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. craft — boats
  18. patient — calm and waiting

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