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: sharp · fine · content · pitch · cabinet · wave · capital · craft

  1. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a big letter
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. content — happy
  4. capital — a city
  5. fine — high quality
  6. craft — a skill
  7. fine — all right
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. capital — money
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. craft — boats
  13. content — the amount
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. sharp — clever
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. pitch — completely
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. sharp — exactly

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