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: spell · kid · club · patient · mate · net · safe · bass

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  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 — for catching
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. net — after costs
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. mate — a friend
  7. club — for dancing
  8. kid — child
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. mate — to breed
  12. spell — a short time
  13. bass — the fish
  14. club — for golf
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. spell — magic
  17. kid — to tease
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. mate — a partner
  20. spell — letters
  21. club — a group
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. bass — low music
  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