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: bear · perch · lean · can · court · trunk · mark · rock

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. lean — thin
  3. can — a tin
  4. court — of a king
  5. bear — the animal
  6. mark — a trace
  7. can — a tin
  8. rock — a stone
  9. mark — a grade
  10. bear — the animal
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. can — to be able to
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. perch — the fish
  16. lean — to bend
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. rock — music
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. court — for sport
  23. court — of law
  24. rock — to move gently

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