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: craft · pitch · kid · wake · bulb · key · stand · patient

  1. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. 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. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. kid — to tease
  3. craft — boats
  4. stand — to bear
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. key — for a lock
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. craft — a skill
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. key — in music
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. bulb — for light
  19. kid — child
  20. key — the most important part
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. wake — a trail
  23. pitch — completely
  24. 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