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: bay · pass · fall · lash · firm · vault · coach · cold

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. The water is too ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. fall — to drop
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. cold — an illness
  8. pass — a permit
  9. firm — steady
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. firm — decided
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. cold — the Cold War
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. fall — the season
  17. fall — to drop
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. vault — a safe
  20. cold — not warm
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. firm — a company

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