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: fall · ruler · pass · prune · wax · scale · plane · shower

  1. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. wax — to grow
  4. fall — to drop
  5. plane — a tool
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. prune — to trim
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. shower — to wash
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. prune — to trim
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. scale — in music
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. fall — to drop
  21. pass — a permit
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. fall — the season
  24. scale — size or range

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