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: hide · craft · pass · pitcher · capital · staff · prune · bass

  1. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. pass — a permit
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. capital — money
  5. capital — a city
  6. prune — to trim
  7. prune — to trim
  8. bass — low music
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. craft — boats
  12. staff — employees
  13. staff — a stick
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. bass — the fish
  23. staff — employees
  24. craft — a skill

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