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: vault · temple · track · row · suit · squash · pop · band

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. band — a music group
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. suit — in cards
  6. pop — music
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. pop — to visit
  9. suit — clothes
  10. vault — a safe
  11. band — a ring
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. track — a path
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. track — a song
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. track — to keep track
  18. row — a line
  19. row — to paddle
  20. squash — to crush
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. squash — the sport
  24. pop — soda

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