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: pop · rock · bark · pass · shower · prune · wax · club

  1. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — to wash
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. rock — a stone
  4. pass — a permit
  5. shower — rain
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. prune — to trim
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. prune — to trim
  12. pop — to visit
  13. wax — to grow
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. pop — music
  16. pop — soda
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. rock — music
  19. club — for dancing
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. club — for golf
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. bark — to shout
  24. club — a group

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