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: deal · wax · branch · racket · land · kick · stock · mouse

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. kick — in football
  5. land — to come down
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. wax — to grow
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. deal — to handle
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. land — ground
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. stock — goods
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. land — a country
  22. branch — a division
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. wax — in the ear

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