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: snap · bay · cap · track · game · season · bank · cabinet

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. game — a match
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. bank — of a river
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. season — in sport
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. cap — a hat
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. bank — for money
  13. track — a song
  14. cap — of ice
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. snap — to click
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. track — a path
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. track — to keep track
  21. cap — a lid
  22. bank — for money
  23. season — of the year
  24. game — a kind of play

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