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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. band — a music group
  3. race — a contest
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. race — humankind
  7. scale — in music
  8. bank — for money
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. squash — to crush
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. band — a ring
  19. scale — size or range
  20. race — the arms race
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. squash — the sport
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. bank — for money

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