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: chip · game · present · mouse · bay · toast · prune · wax

  1. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. prune — to trim
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. game — wild animals
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. present — there
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. wax — to grow
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. toast — bread
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. chip — to eat
  18. chip — for betting
  19. present — a gift
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. game — a match
  23. present — the time now
  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