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: chip · deal · wax · shower · prune · wave · spring · drill

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. spring — a coil
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. shower — to wash
  5. spring — the season
  6. prune — to trim
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. prune — to trim
  9. chip — for betting
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. shower — rain
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. drill — the tool
  14. drill — a practice
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. drill — army training
  19. chip — to eat
  20. deal — to handle
  21. spring — of water
  22. wax — to grow
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. wax — for sculpting

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