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: bore · safe · squash · patient · hand · bear · wound · net

  1. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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. bear — the animal
  4. bore — to drill
  5. net — for catching
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. wound — an injury
  9. net — in sport
  10. hand — help
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. squash — to crush
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. bore — to tire
  15. bear — the animal
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. squash — the sport
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. hand — in cards
  23. wound — an injury
  24. bear — to put up with

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