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: safe · patient · wax · arm · pitch · firm · net · chest

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. firm — decided
  3. firm — steady
  4. chest — of your body
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. firm — a company
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. chest — of your body
  11. net — in sport
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. net — after costs
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. net — for catching
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. chest — a box
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. wax — to grow

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