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: rush · pit · club · trunk · nail · present · saw · wax

  1. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. pit — in a race
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. saw — the tool
  5. present — there
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. pit — a hole
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. wax — to grow
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. present — the time now
  16. present — a gift
  17. club — a group
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. rush — hurry
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. club — for dancing
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. saw — the tool

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