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 120 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: ball · bound · last · kick · safe · wax · pitch · net

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. bound — tied together
  4. ball — a great time
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. ball — a dance
  9. pitch — completely
  10. last — finally
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. net — in sport
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. net — for catching
  17. wax — to grow
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. net — after costs
  20. last — final
  21. last — to go on
  22. bound — certain
  23. kick — in football
  24. bound — obliged

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