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: land · ruler · track · rash · chip · temple · squash · racket

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. squash — to crush
  4. squash — the sport
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. land — a country
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. chip — to eat
  9. track — a song
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. land — to come down
  15. rash — hasty
  16. track — a path
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. rash — a series
  21. land — ground
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. chip — for betting
  24. track — to keep track

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