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 · mug · cue · wax · pop · pitcher · spring · plane

  1. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. cue — a hint
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. pop — to visit
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. pop — soda
  7. mug — a cup
  8. wax — to grow
  9. mug — a face
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. cue — a signal
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. plane — a tool
  14. rush — hurry
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. cue — for pool
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. mug — to rob
  21. spring — of water
  22. pop — music
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. spring — a coil

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