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 116 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 · racket · chip · wax · net · mouse · deal · stock

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. chip — to eat
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. scale — size or range
  7. scale — in music
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. net — in sport
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. deal — to handle
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. stock — goods
  17. net — for catching
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. stock — shares
  21. net — after costs
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. chip — for betting
  24. wax — for sculpting

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