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: wax · plane · game · wave · club · prune · swing · calf

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. club — a group
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. prune — to trim
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. prune — to trim
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. club — for golf
  13. plane — a tool
  14. swing — to play on
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. swing — music
  17. wax — to grow
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. club — for dancing
  20. game — a match
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. game — wild animals

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