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: lean · plane · prune · sharp · degree · deal · safe · straw

  1. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. plane — a tool
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. sharp — clever
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. prune — to trim
  11. lean — thin
  12. degree — an amount
  13. lean — to bend
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. degree — temperature
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. deal — to handle
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. prune — to trim
  22. degree — from a university
  23. deal — an agreement
  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