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: snap · safe · ground · pound · temple · current · saw · swing

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. swing — to play on
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. saw — the tool
  7. ground — the earth
  8. current — electric
  9. pound — a weight
  10. current — of water
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. snap — to click
  15. saw — the tool
  16. ground — a position
  17. current — happening now
  18. ground — crushed
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. swing — music
  24. swing — in golf

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