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 120 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: squash · bowl · stem · fall · rock · race · spell · rash

  1. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. race — a contest
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. fall — to drop
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. spell — letters
  8. spell — a short time
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. race — the arms race
  11. rock — a stone
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. spell — magic
  15. squash — to crush
  16. rash — hasty
  17. rock — music
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. race — humankind
  20. fall — to drop
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. squash — the sport
  23. stem — to come from
  24. rash — a series

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