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: bank · cap · track · field · drill · mark · bound · perch

  1. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. bank — of a river
  3. field — a subject
  4. drill — a practice
  5. cap — of ice
  6. field — farmland
  7. bank — for money
  8. bound — certain
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. cap — a lid
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. cap — a hat
  13. mark — a grade
  14. mark — a trace
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. track — a path
  17. track — a song
  18. bound — tied together
  19. track — to keep track
  20. perch — the fish
  21. bank — for money
  22. drill — the tool
  23. bound — obliged
  24. drill — army training

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