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

Word bank: can · capital · suit · craft · staff · wax · pass · wound

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. suit — in cards
  3. wound — an injury
  4. craft — boats
  5. can — to be able to
  6. capital — money
  7. staff — employees
  8. wound — an injury
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. staff — a stick
  12. can — a tin
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. wax — to grow
  17. capital — a city
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. suit — clothes
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. can — a tin
  22. pass — a permit
  23. craft — a skill
  24. staff — employees

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