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: pop · fan · temple · suit · bowl · ruler · race · squash

  1. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. race — humankind
  3. race — a contest
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. pop — to visit
  6. squash — the sport
  7. suit — to fit
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. suit — in cards
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. suit — clothes
  13. squash — to crush
  14. pop — music
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. pop — soda
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. race — the arms race
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. ruler — for measuring

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