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: court · mark · track · kid · field · dip · temple · bank

  1. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. bank — for money
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. mark — a trace
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. track — a song
  7. kid — child
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. court — of law
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. court — of a king
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. kid — to tease
  14. track — a path
  15. dip — to sink
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. bank — of a river
  18. mark — a grade
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. court — for sport
  21. field — a subject
  22. field — farmland
  23. bank — for money
  24. track — to keep track

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