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 · chip · track · trunk · squash · club · wax · saw

  1. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. club — a group
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. squash — the sport
  7. wax — to grow
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. track — a song
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. chip — to eat
  13. club — for golf
  14. track — to keep track
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. club — for dancing
  18. track — a path
  19. deal — to handle
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. chip — for betting
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. squash — to crush
  24. saw — the tool

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