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: scale · track · deal · leaves · trunk · kid · wave · mouse

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. deal — to handle
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. track — a path
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. scale — in music
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. scale — size or range
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. kid — child
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. track — a song
  20. track — to keep track
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. kid — to tease
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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