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 116 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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. cap — a lid
  5. prune — to trim
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. club — for dancing
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. club — a group
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. club — for golf
  12. pass — a permit
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. net — for catching
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. prune — to trim
  17. cap — of ice
  18. cap — a hat
  19. wax — to grow
  20. mark — a trace
  21. net — after costs
  22. net — in sport
  23. mark — a grade
  24. prune — the fruit

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