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: wave · wake · prune · patient · vault · last · plane · bound

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. plane — a tool
  5. prune — to trim
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. last — finally
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. prune — to trim
  15. vault — a safe
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. bound — obliged
  19. last — to go on
  20. last — final
  21. bound — certain
  22. bound — tied together
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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