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: cue · band · wax · field · club · mark · last · plane

  1. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. cue — a hint
  4. cue — for pool
  5. band — a music group
  6. mark — a grade
  7. wax — to grow
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. cue — a signal
  10. plane — a tool
  11. last — to go on
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. club — for golf
  14. mark — a trace
  15. band — a ring
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. club — for dancing
  18. club — a group
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. last — finally
  21. field — for sport
  22. last — final
  23. field — a subject
  24. field — farmland

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