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 120 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: cue · face · scale · wax · stem · prune · coach · pit

  1. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. face — to confront
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. scale — size or range
  5. face — to point toward
  6. prune — to trim
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. pit — in a race
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. cue — a signal
  12. stem — to come from
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. cue — a hint
  15. wax — to grow
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. face — part of the head
  18. pit — a hole
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. cue — for pool
  23. scale — in music
  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