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: object · stock · sharp · trunk · chip · wax · face · club

  1. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. sharp — clever
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. stock — shares
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. club — for dancing
  12. club — a group
  13. chip — for betting
  14. object — a thing
  15. face — to confront
  16. wax — to grow
  17. stock — goods
  18. object — an aim
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. club — for golf
  21. face — to point toward
  22. object — to protest
  23. face — part of the head
  24. chip — to eat

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