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: stock · wax · safe · spring · pitch · staff · bear · saw

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. saw — the tool
  4. spring — of water
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. saw — the tool
  7. wax — to grow
  8. stock — goods
  9. spring — the season
  10. staff — employees
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. bear — the animal
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. bear — the animal
  15. spring — a coil
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. stock — shares
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. staff — a stick
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. staff — employees

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