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: track · current · cap · lie · cabinet · chip · bowl · bank

  1. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. track — to keep track
  5. cap — of ice
  6. bank — for money
  7. chip — to eat
  8. lie — to recline
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. cap — a hat
  14. cap — a lid
  15. current — of water
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. track — a path
  19. current — electric
  20. current — happening now
  21. bank — for money
  22. bank — of a river
  23. track — a song
  24. chip — for betting

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