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: pass · bat · capital · craft · toast · current · board · court

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. current — electric
  3. bat — the animal
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. current — of water
  6. current — happening now
  7. court — of a king
  8. craft — boats
  9. capital — money
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. court — for sport
  14. craft — a skill
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. court — of law
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. board — to get on
  20. toast — bread
  21. pass — a permit
  22. capital — a city
  23. board — a committee
  24. pass — to spend time

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