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: foot · snap · kid · rash · safe · file · prune · fine

  1. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — to tease
  2. file — a tool
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. file — a line of people
  5. kid — child
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. foot — a measure
  9. file — a document
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. rash — hasty
  12. fine — all right
  13. rash — a series
  14. prune — to trim
  15. fine — high quality
  16. snap — to click
  17. prune — to trim
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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