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: cap · roll · wave · fan · wax · band · prune · foot

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. wax — to grow
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. roll — a cake
  8. band — a ring
  9. prune — to trim
  10. cap — of ice
  11. band — a music group
  12. roll — a list
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. foot — a measure
  21. cap — a lid
  22. cap — a hat
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. prune — to trim

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