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: file · perch · wake · sharp · fork · can · track · court

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. can — a tin
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. track — a path
  9. file — a tool
  10. track — a song
  11. court — of a king
  12. file — a document
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. perch — the fish
  15. court — of law
  16. file — a line of people
  17. track — to keep track
  18. wake — a trail
  19. can — to be able to
  20. can — a tin
  21. fork — in a road
  22. sharp — clever
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. court — for sport

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