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 · march · prune · arm · jam · tube · rock · wave

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. prune — to trim
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. wax — to grow
  6. march — the month
  7. prune — to trim
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. march — the month
  12. tube — the underground
  13. rock — music
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. tube — a container
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. march — music
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. rock — a stone
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. arm — part of the body

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