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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. prune — to trim
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. staff — a stick
  5. game — a match
  6. bank — for money
  7. bank — of a river
  8. game — wild animals
  9. prune — to trim
  10. bank — for money
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. wax — to grow
  16. staff — employees
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. plane — a tool

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