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: race · hide · scale · ball · temple · date

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. race — the arms race
  5. ball — a dance
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. ball — a great time
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. race — a contest
  14. date — the fruit
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. race — humankind
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. scale — size or range

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