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: craft · last · capital · bank · cabinet · wax · saw · rock

  1. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. saw — the tool
  4. craft — boats
  5. last — to go on
  6. last — finally
  7. capital — a city
  8. wax — to grow
  9. rock — a stone
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. saw — the tool
  18. rock — music
  19. last — final
  20. bank — for money
  21. bank — for money
  22. bank — of a river
  23. craft — a skill
  24. cabinet — ministers

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