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: prune · mouse · rush · wax · lash · fine · clip · squash

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. fine — high quality
  3. squash — the sport
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. fine — all right
  6. prune — to trim
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. squash — to crush
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. clip — a video
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. clip — to cut
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. clip — for paper
  16. wax — to grow
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. rush — hurry
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. prune — to trim
  24. mouse — the animal

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