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: fall · pass · bark · hand · band · vault · temple · bass

  1. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. pass — a permit
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. fall — to drop
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. bass — low music
  9. hand — in cards
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. bass — the fish
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. bark — to shout
  15. vault — a safe
  16. hand — help
  17. band — a ring
  18. band — a music group
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. fall — to drop
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. temple — a place of worship

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