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 · shower · pop · wax · suit · tube · ruler · season

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. shower — to wash
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. pop — music
  5. season — of the year
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. suit — to fit
  8. tube — the underground
  9. wax — to grow
  10. club — a group
  11. shower — rain
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. club — for dancing
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. club — for golf
  16. season — in sport
  17. suit — clothes
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. suit — in cards
  22. pop — to visit
  23. pop — soda
  24. wax — for sculpting

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