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 · deal · mug · safe · straw · degree · perch · board

  1. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. mug — a cup
  3. deal — to handle
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. file — a line of people
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. mug — to rob
  10. file — a document
  11. board — to get on
  12. degree — from a university
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. file — a tool
  15. degree — an amount
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. mug — a face
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. perch — the fish
  21. board — a committee
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. deal — an agreement

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