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 all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. charge — in control
  5. perch — the fish
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. wax — to grow
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. net — for catching
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. charge — electricity
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. charge — a price
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. net — in sport

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