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: can · arm · hand · patient · net · court · safe · content

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  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. patient — a sick person
  2. net — after costs
  3. content — happy
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. net — in sport
  7. can — a tin
  8. content — the amount
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. net — for catching
  11. hand — in cards
  12. hand — help
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. court — for sport
  15. court — of law
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. can — to be able to
  19. can — a tin
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. court — of a king
  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