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. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. charge — in control
  3. saw — the tool
  4. rest — what's left
  5. rest — what's left
  6. bank — for money
  7. can — a tin
  8. prune — to trim
  9. charge — electricity
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. prune — to trim
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. saw — the tool
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. bank — for money
  17. can — a tin
  18. charge — a price
  19. rest — a break
  20. can — to be able to
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. fork — in a road
  23. wax — to grow
  24. bank — of a river

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