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: cabinet · pop · spring · race · bore · temple · scale · key

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. race — humankind
  3. race — a contest
  4. bore — to tire
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. scale — size or range
  8. key — for a lock
  9. pop — music
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. key — in music
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. key — the most important part
  14. race — the arms race
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. spring — of water
  18. pop — soda
  19. bore — to drill
  20. spring — the season
  21. scale — in music
  22. spring — a coil
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. pop — to visit

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