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: cabinet · object · chip · craft · staff · board · cap · spring

  1. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. object — a thing
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. cap — a lid
  7. staff — a stick
  8. spring — of water
  9. chip — for betting
  10. spring — the season
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. cap — a hat
  13. object — to protest
  14. craft — a skill
  15. board — to get on
  16. spring — a coil
  17. chip — to eat
  18. cap — of ice
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. craft — boats
  21. board — a committee
  22. staff — employees
  23. object — an aim
  24. cabinet — ministers

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