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. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. pop — soda
  3. suit — clothes
  4. bank — of a river
  5. prune — to trim
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. prune — to trim
  9. suit — to fit
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. ball — a great time
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. wax — to grow
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. face — to confront
  16. pop — music
  17. bank — for money
  18. pop — to visit
  19. suit — in cards
  20. ball — a dance
  21. face — to point toward
  22. bank — for money
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. face — part of the head

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