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: wake · fine · straw · leaves · prune · mate · saw · stock

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. prune — to trim
  4. prune — to trim
  5. mate — a friend
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. mate — a partner
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. fine — all right
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. saw — the tool
  18. fine — high quality
  19. saw — the tool
  20. stock — shares
  21. mate — to breed
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. stock — goods
  24. wake — before a funeral

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