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 · board · drill · spring · cabinet · craft

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. drill — the tool
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. drill — a practice
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. craft — boats
  10. drill — army training
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. spring — a coil
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. board — a committee
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. spring — the season
  17. spring — of water
  18. craft — a skill

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