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: roll · hand · bank · pass · prune · bowl · wax · coach

  1. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. bank — of a river
  6. wax — to grow
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. bank — for money
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. roll — a list
  14. hand — in cards
  15. prune — to trim
  16. hand — help
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. bank — for money
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. prune — to trim
  23. roll — a cake
  24. pass — a permit

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