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 116 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: pitch · cold · wax · chip · net · safe · mug · field

  1. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. The water is too ________________.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — an illness
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. pitch — completely
  6. cold — not warm
  7. wax — to grow
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. net — for catching
  10. field — a subject
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. net — in sport
  13. mug — a face
  14. chip — for betting
  15. field — farmland
  16. field — for sport
  17. net — after costs
  18. cold — the Cold War
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. mug — to rob
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. chip — to eat
  23. mug — a cup
  24. wax — for sculpting

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