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: scale · bear · board · chip · spell · content · capital · craft

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. spell — magic
  3. spell — a short time
  4. content — the amount
  5. scale — in music
  6. chip — to eat
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. capital — a city
  10. scale — size or range
  11. bear — the animal
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. board — to get on
  14. craft — boats
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. content — happy
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. spell — letters
  20. chip — for betting
  21. capital — money
  22. board — a committee
  23. craft — a skill
  24. content — videos and posts

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