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: staff · stand · game · pop · hand · bank · track · mark

  1. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. pop — soda
  3. staff — employees
  4. mark — a grade
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. game — a match
  7. game — wild animals
  8. hand — in cards
  9. track — to keep track
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. pop — music
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. bank — of a river
  14. staff — employees
  15. bank — for money
  16. track — a song
  17. stand — to bear
  18. staff — a stick
  19. hand — help
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. pop — to visit
  22. bank — for money
  23. mark — a trace
  24. track — a path

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