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 116 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 · saw · fan · bound · mark · bowl · ground · race

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. saw — the tool
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. rule — a law
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. ground — a position
  7. bound — obliged
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. ground — the earth
  10. bound — tied together
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. bound — certain
  14. saw — the tool
  15. race — the arms race
  16. race — a contest
  17. race — humankind
  18. rule — government
  19. mark — a grade
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. ground — crushed
  24. mark — to pay attention

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