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: fall · bound · cap · bowl · temple · stock · mouse · drill

  1. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. bound — certain
  3. fall — to drop
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. fall — the season
  6. stock — goods
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. bound — tied together
  11. bound — obliged
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. drill — army training
  14. drill — the tool
  15. cap — a hat
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. fall — to drop
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. cap — a lid
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. cap — of ice
  22. stock — shares
  23. drill — a practice
  24. stock — a soup base

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