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: rule · mine · squash · bowl · fork · safe · pop · foot

  1. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. fork — in a road
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. rule — a law
  5. mine — for digging
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. pop — music
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. pop — soda
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. foot — a measure
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. pop — to visit
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. squash — the sport
  23. squash — to crush
  24. fork — to eat with

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