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: net · ruler · suit · cell · trunk · prune · wax · band

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. cell — a phone
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. band — a music group
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. net — for catching
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. prune — to trim
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. net — after costs
  13. cell — in biology
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. prune — to trim
  16. band — a ring
  17. suit — clothes
  18. net — in sport
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. wax — to grow
  22. suit — in cards
  23. suit — to fit
  24. trunk — of a car

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