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: wax · chip · club · swing · plane · ruler · mate · band

  1. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. plane — a tool
  3. club — for golf
  4. mate — to breed
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. band — a music group
  7. wax — to grow
  8. mate — a friend
  9. club — for dancing
  10. mate — a partner
  11. swing — in golf
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. club — a group
  14. swing — to play on
  15. chip — for betting
  16. swing — music
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. chip — to eat

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