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 · court · fan · foot · trunk · perch · bear · tube

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. court — of a king
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. bear — the animal
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. court — of law
  10. tube — a container
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. court — for sport
  13. tube — the underground
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. foot — a measure
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. perch — the fish

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