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 116 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 · charge · band · mate · cap · chip · ruler · craft

  1. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. cap — a hat
  6. mate — to breed
  7. band — a ring
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. mate — a friend
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. charge — electricity
  12. craft — boats
  13. chip — to eat
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. craft — a skill
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. charge — a price
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. charge — in control
  20. cap — of ice
  21. cap — a lid
  22. chip — for betting
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. mate — a partner

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