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 · fine · clip · rock · bowl · rule · temple · object

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. race — the arms race
  3. object — a thing
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. clip — for paper
  7. clip — to cut
  8. object — to protest
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. rock — music
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. fine — all right
  14. rule — a law
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. clip — a video
  17. object — an aim
  18. rule — government
  19. rock — a stone
  20. race — humankind
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. fine — high quality
  23. race — a contest
  24. rock — to move gently

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