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: perch · dip · fine · nail · straw · lean · rush · pit

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. fine — all right
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. rush — hurry
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. fine — high quality
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. pit — in a race
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. perch — the fish
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. lean — to bend
  19. pit — a hole
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. dip — to sink

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