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 · straw · rash · safe · lie · key · swing · rush

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. snap — to click
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. rash — hasty
  11. swing — music
  12. lie — to recline
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. key — the most important part
  16. swing — in golf
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. rush — hurry
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. swing — to play on
  21. key — in music
  22. rash — a series
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. straw — dry grass

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