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: rush · fine · fan · ground · temple · chip · pop · rule

  1. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. ground — a position
  3. fine — high quality
  4. chip — for betting
  5. ground — the earth
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. pop — music
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. ground — crushed
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. pop — soda
  17. fine — all right
  18. rule — government
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. pop — to visit
  21. rush — hurry
  22. chip — to eat
  23. rule — a law
  24. fan — a supporter

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