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: bark · lean · vault · shower · wake · snap · pass · wax

  1. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. pass — a permit
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. bark — to shout
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. lean — thin
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. wax — to grow
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. lean — to bend
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. vault — a safe
  18. wake — a trail
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. snap — to click
  21. shower — to wash
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. pass — to succeed

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