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: mouse · ball · trunk · track · content · wake · fan · perch

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. track — a path
  3. wake — a trail
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. content — the amount
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. perch — the fish
  16. track — to keep track
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. track — a song
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. ball — a great time
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. content — happy
  24. content — videos and posts

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