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: capital · staff · pop · chip · wake · craft · board · current

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. staff — employees
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. craft — a skill
  5. chip — to eat
  6. pop — soda
  7. capital — money
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. craft — boats
  10. capital — a city
  11. current — electric
  12. staff — employees
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. staff — a stick
  15. pop — to visit
  16. current — of water
  17. board — to get on
  18. wake — a trail
  19. pop — music
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. board — a committee
  22. current — happening now
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. capital — a big letter

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