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 120 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 · bass · mark · pass · bay · stem · cold · cabinet

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  12. The water is too ________________.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. vault — a safe
  6. mark — a trace
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. mark — a grade
  11. cold — the Cold War
  12. cold — not warm
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. pass — a permit
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. stem — to come from
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. cold — an illness
  20. bass — the fish
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. bass — low music
  24. cabinet — ministers

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