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 · mug · bay · field · wake · fall · row · court

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. field — for sport
  4. field — farmland
  5. court — of law
  6. fall — to drop
  7. wake — a trail
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. row — a line
  12. fall — the season
  13. court — of a king
  14. court — for sport
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. fall — to drop
  19. row — to paddle
  20. mug — a cup
  21. vault — a safe
  22. field — a subject
  23. mug — to rob
  24. mug — a face

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