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: arm · land · object · ball · safe · prune · craft · wax

  1. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. object — an aim
  5. prune — to trim
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. wax — to grow
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. land — to come down
  11. prune — to trim
  12. ball — a great time
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. craft — boats
  16. craft — a skill
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. land — a country
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. ball — a dance
  22. object — a thing
  23. land — ground
  24. object — to protest

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