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: craft · cap · capital · drill · content · chip · cabinet · saw

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. cap — a lid
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. saw — the tool
  5. drill — army training
  6. craft — boats
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. craft — a skill
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. capital — money
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. content — happy
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. capital — a city
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. chip — to eat
  18. content — the amount
  19. cap — a hat
  20. drill — the tool
  21. saw — the tool
  22. drill — a practice
  23. cap — of ice
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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