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: vault · jam · shower · pass · net · field · chair · fall

  1. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. field — farmland
  2. net — for catching
  3. shower — rain
  4. pass — a permit
  5. field — a subject
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. fall — the season
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. net — in sport
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. fall — to drop
  13. shower — to wash
  14. net — after costs
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. field — for sport
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. chair — a leader
  21. vault — a safe
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. fall — to drop
  24. chair — to sit on

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