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: can · capital · current · cabinet · mouse · craft

  1. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. craft — boats
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. can — to be able to
  10. craft — a skill
  11. capital — a city
  12. can — a tin
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. current — of water
  15. current — electric
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. can — a tin
  18. current — happening now

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