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: fine · patient · mark · field · key · kid · last · bark

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. key — the most important part
  4. field — farmland
  5. fine — high quality
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. field — for sport
  8. field — a subject
  9. last — to go on
  10. kid — to tease
  11. mark — a trace
  12. kid — child
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. key — in music
  16. last — final
  17. key — for a lock
  18. last — finally
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. bark — to shout
  21. fine — all right
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. mark — a grade

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