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: net · face · plane · calf · safe · rash · roll · current

  1. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  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. net — after costs
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. net — in sport
  4. face — to confront
  5. rash — hasty
  6. current — of water
  7. net — for catching
  8. face — part of the head
  9. rash — a series
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. roll — a list
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. current — electric
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. face — to point toward
  19. current — happening now
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. roll — a cake
  23. plane — a tool
  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