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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. track — a path
  3. wax — to grow
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. dip — to sink
  9. deal — to handle
  10. track — a song
  11. object — to protest
  12. track — to keep track
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. object — an aim
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. object — a thing
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. mouse — the animal

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