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

  1. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. The water is too ________________.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. season — in sport
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. cold — an illness
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. cold — not warm
  8. net — for catching
  9. suit — to fit
  10. press — newspapers
  11. suit — clothes
  12. rash — hasty
  13. net — in sport
  14. rash — a series
  15. press — to push
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. suit — in cards
  18. season — of the year
  19. press — a publisher
  20. plane — a tool
  21. cold — the Cold War
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. rash — on the skin

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