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: club · key · prune · firm · mate · wax · file · calf

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. club — a group
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. key — the most important part
  5. mate — to breed
  6. firm — steady
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. mate — a partner
  9. file — a document
  10. key — for a lock
  11. prune — to trim
  12. prune — to trim
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. firm — a company
  16. firm — decided
  17. key — in music
  18. mate — a friend
  19. club — for dancing
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. file — a line of people
  23. wax — to grow
  24. club — for golf

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