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 120 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. row — a line
  3. march — the month
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. squash — to crush
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. march — music
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. rule — a law
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. row — to paddle
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. squash — the sport
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. march — the month
  22. rule — government
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. dip — to sink

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