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: wax · racket · coach · rush · dip · wound · cabinet · prune

  1. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. wound — an injury
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. wound — an injury
  11. rush — hurry
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. dip — to sink
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. wax — to grow
  18. prune — to trim
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. prune — to trim
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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