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: rule · nail · prune · saw · pass · wax · bank · vault

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. rule — a law
  3. saw — the tool
  4. bank — for money
  5. pass — a permit
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. prune — to trim
  10. prune — to trim
  11. vault — a safe
  12. bank — of a river
  13. wax — to grow
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. saw — the tool
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. bank — for money
  23. rule — government
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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