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: prune · pit · wax · rock · safe · leaves · calf · pound

  1. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. pound — a weight
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. pit — a hole
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. rock — music
  16. rock — a stone
  17. prune — to trim
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. wax — to grow
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. prune — to trim
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. pit — in a race

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