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: bank · press · race · temple · bowl · bay

  1. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. race — the arms race
  3. bank — for money
  4. press — a publisher
  5. press — to push
  6. bank — of a river
  7. bank — for money
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. press — newspapers
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. race — humankind
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. race — a contest

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