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: trunk · court · content · club · wave · press · perch · pitcher

  1. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. press — newspapers
  3. court — of law
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. press — a publisher
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. club — for dancing
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. content — the amount
  13. court — of a king
  14. press — to push
  15. content — happy
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. club — for golf
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. court — for sport
  20. club — a group
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. perch — for a bird

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