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

Word bank: cap · club · cell · ruler · wax · squash

  1. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. club — for golf
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. cell — in biology
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. squash — the sport
  11. wax — to grow
  12. cap — a lid
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. cap — of ice
  15. cap — a hat
  16. club — a group
  17. cell — a phone
  18. squash — to crush

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