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 116 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: prune · snap · wax · firm · vault · pitcher · face · lean

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. prune — to trim
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. prune — to trim
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. lean — to bend
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. vault — a safe
  14. face — part of the head
  15. lean — thin
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. firm — decided
  20. snap — to click
  21. wax — to grow
  22. face — to confront
  23. firm — steady
  24. face — to point toward

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