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 120 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: mate · club · wax · cue · trunk · rash · branch · bay

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. rash — hasty
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. mate — to breed
  6. club — for dancing
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. club — for golf
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. cue — for pool
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. mate — a friend
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. wax — to grow
  17. club — a group
  18. mate — a partner
  19. branch — a division
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. cue — a signal
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. cue — a hint

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