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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. prune — to trim
  4. wax — to grow
  5. stand — to bear
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. stem — to come from
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. prune — to trim
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. pound — a weight
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. scale — size or range
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. track — a song
  20. track — a path
  21. foot — a measure
  22. track — to keep track
  23. scale — in music
  24. wax — for sculpting

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