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: sharp · land · pop · bowl · temple · drill · band · ruler

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. band — a ring
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. drill — army training
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. band — a music group
  11. drill — the tool
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. land — to come down
  14. pop — to visit
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. land — a country
  20. drill — a practice
  21. sharp — clever
  22. land — ground
  23. pop — soda
  24. pop — music

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