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 · straw · present · perch · jam · wound · file · dip

  1. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. file — a document
  4. rush — hurry
  5. present — the time now
  6. wound — an injury
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. wound — an injury
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. present — there
  11. present — a gift
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. dip — to sink
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. file — a line of people
  21. file — a tool
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. dip — to dunk

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