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: wake · court · bass · pit · vault · stand · rest · cap

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. bass — low music
  4. cap — of ice
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. rest — a break
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. bass — the fish
  10. rest — what's left
  11. vault — a safe
  12. stand — to bear
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. court — of a king
  15. court — for sport
  16. pit — in a race
  17. cap — a hat
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. rest — what's left
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. pit — a hole
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. court — of law
  24. cap — a lid

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