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: firm · net · prune · mark · wound · wake · straw · vault

  1. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. prune — to trim
  4. prune — to trim
  5. mark — a trace
  6. mark — a grade
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. wound — an injury
  11. firm — decided
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. firm — steady
  14. vault — a safe
  15. firm — a company
  16. net — in sport
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. wound — an injury
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. net — after costs
  23. wake — a trail
  24. net — for catching

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