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: perch · wax · prune · cap · mouse · lash · ruler · tear

  1. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. prune — to trim
  5. cap — of ice
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. prune — to trim
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. perch — the fish
  11. tear — to rip
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. tear — from crying
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. cap — a lid
  19. cap — a hat
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. tear — from crying
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. wax — to grow

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