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: nail · bore · staff · game · craft · current · spring · board

  1. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. staff — employees
  3. craft — boats
  4. spring — of water
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. bore — to drill
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. staff — a stick
  10. spring — a coil
  11. spring — the season
  12. bore — to tire
  13. game — wild animals
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. current — electric
  17. craft — a skill
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. current — of water
  20. board — to get on
  21. game — a match
  22. board — a committee
  23. current — happening now
  24. craft — a handicraft

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