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 · rule · charge · tube · rash · prune · march · lie

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. charge — electricity
  3. rule — a law
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. march — the month
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. tube — the underground
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. march — music
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. prune — to trim
  13. prune — to trim
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. charge — a price
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. charge — in control
  18. march — the month
  19. rash — a series
  20. tube — a container
  21. lie — to recline
  22. rash — hasty
  23. rule — government
  24. wax — to grow

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