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: row · temple · bank · straw · pop · race · fan · prune

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. bank — for money
  4. race — a contest
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. pop — soda
  7. race — humankind
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. prune — to trim
  10. row — a line
  11. prune — to trim
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. race — the arms race
  14. row — to paddle
  15. pop — music
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. pop — to visit
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. bank — of a river
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. bank — for money
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. row — a quarrel

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