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 · current · game · track · band · pitch · temple · cabinet

  1. That was a fun ________________.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. current — electric
  5. track — a path
  6. track — a song
  7. game — wild animals
  8. band — a music group
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. bank — of a river
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. band — a ring
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. track — to keep track
  16. bank — for money
  17. current — happening now
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. pitch — completely
  21. current — of water
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. bank — for money
  24. temple — side of the head

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