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: shower · pitch · fall · craft · temple · vault · bass · firm

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. pitch — completely
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. fall — to drop
  5. bass — low music
  6. craft — a skill
  7. shower — to wash
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. fall — to drop
  11. firm — steady
  12. craft — boats
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. firm — decided
  15. shower — rain
  16. vault — a safe
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. firm — a company
  20. bass — the fish
  21. fall — the season
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. bass — the instrument

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