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 · prune · branch · nail · patient · scale · pound · wave

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. branch — a division
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. wax — to grow
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. scale — in music
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. prune — to trim
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. scale — size or range
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. prune — to trim
  24. pound — for dogs

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