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 120 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 · cell · bay · land · snap · bank · prune

  1. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. bank — of a river
  4. cell — in biology
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. march — the month
  8. cell — a phone
  9. land — ground
  10. prune — to trim
  11. bank — for money
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. bank — for money
  15. land — to come down
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. march — music
  18. march — the month
  19. wax — to grow
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. prune — to trim
  24. snap — to click

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