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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. deal — to handle
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. net — for catching
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. net — in sport
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. game — wild animals
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. mark — a trace
  18. mark — a grade
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. game — a match
  21. pound — a weight
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. safe — out of danger

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