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: nail · board · cell · mine · drill · charge · rock · craft

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. cell — in biology
  4. craft — boats
  5. charge — electricity
  6. drill — army training
  7. rock — a stone
  8. board — a committee
  9. craft — a skill
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. charge — a price
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. rock — music
  16. mine — for digging
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. cell — a phone
  19. drill — a practice
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. board — to get on
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. charge — in control

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