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: rush · drill · perch · safe · snap · toast · swing · stem

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. snap — to click
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. swing — in golf
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. rush — hurry
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. toast — bread
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. drill — a practice
  18. drill — the tool
  19. stem — to come from
  20. perch — the fish
  21. swing — music
  22. swing — to play on
  23. drill — army training
  24. safe — out of danger

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