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: cell · ball · squash · race · cue · bowl

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. cue — a signal
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. ball — a dance
  6. race — a contest
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. cue — a hint
  9. race — the arms race
  10. cue — for pool
  11. ball — a great time
  12. squash — to crush
  13. cell — in biology
  14. race — humankind
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. squash — the sport
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. cell — a phone

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