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: ruler · wax · scale · bound · prune · dip · cabinet · suit

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. bound — certain
  5. bound — tied together
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. suit — clothes
  8. suit — in cards
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. scale — size or range
  11. wax — to grow
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. prune — to trim
  15. bound — obliged
  16. scale — in music
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. dip — to sink
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. prune — to trim
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. suit — to fit

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