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: rush · content · trunk · ball · land · craft · fan · mouse

  1. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. craft — boats
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. land — to come down
  7. rush — hurry
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. content — happy
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. craft — a skill
  15. ball — a dance
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. ball — a great time
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. land — a country
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. content — the amount
  24. craft — a handicraft

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