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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. stem — to come from
  4. pass — a permit
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. bass — low music
  8. cap — a hat
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. bass — the fish
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. cap — a lid
  13. wax — to grow
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. shower — to wash
  17. cap — of ice
  18. shower — rain
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. vault — a safe
  24. coach — a trainer

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