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: lie · pop · spring · pit · prune · nail · wave · wax

  1. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. pit — in a race
  3. pop — soda
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. spring — a coil
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. pop — music
  10. spring — the season
  11. spring — of water
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. prune — to trim
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. pit — a hole
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. pop — to visit
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. prune — to trim
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. lie — to recline
  24. wax — to grow

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