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 120 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: bear · swing · pound · snap · safe · file · prune · bay

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. swing — in golf
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. prune — to trim
  9. snap — to click
  10. file — a line of people
  11. pound — a weight
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. bear — the animal
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. file — a tool
  17. prune — to trim
  18. bear — the animal
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. file — a document
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. swing — music
  24. swing — to play on

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