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: lash · drill · game · prune · ball · race · season · temple

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. race — the arms race
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. game — a match
  7. season — of the year
  8. drill — a practice
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. prune — to trim
  11. race — a contest
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. ball — a great time
  16. season — in sport
  17. drill — the tool
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. drill — army training
  20. race — humankind
  21. prune — to trim
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. ball — a dance

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