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: pitcher · capital · stick · wax · calf · lash · coach · wound

  1. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. capital — a city
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. wound — an injury
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. wax — to grow
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. wound — an injury
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. calf — of the leg

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