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: wave · pitch · patient · capital · hide · staff · craft · present

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. staff — a stick
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. present — there
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. capital — money
  12. present — a gift
  13. present — the time now
  14. capital — a city
  15. craft — boats
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. staff — employees
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. pitch — completely
  23. wave — of the sea
  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