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 · hide · sharp · wax · race · rash · present · safe

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. net — after costs
  4. wax — to grow
  5. net — in sport
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. rash — hasty
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. sharp — clever
  11. rash — a series
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. race — the arms race
  15. present — there
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. present — the time now
  20. present — a gift
  21. race — a contest
  22. race — humankind
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. net — for catching

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