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 · rush · mate · fall · roll · prune · track · stem

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. track — to keep track
  4. prune — to trim
  5. stem — to come from
  6. wax — to grow
  7. fall — to drop
  8. mate — to breed
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. mate — a friend
  11. track — a song
  12. roll — a cake
  13. track — a path
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. rush — hurry
  16. prune — to trim
  17. mate — a partner
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. roll — a list
  20. fall — the season
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. fall — to drop
  24. stem — of a plant

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