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 120 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: fork · perch · cue · rock · race · temple · sharp · row

  1. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. rock — a stone
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. row — to paddle
  5. cue — for pool
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. cue — a signal
  8. fork — in a road
  9. perch — the fish
  10. race — humankind
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. row — a line
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. race — the arms race
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. sharp — clever
  17. cue — a hint
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. rock — music
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. race — a contest
  24. rock — to move gently

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