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: stock · last · rock · key · fan · plane · calf · patient

  1. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. last — to go on
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. stock — shares
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. plane — a tool
  7. stock — goods
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. key — for a lock
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. rock — a stone
  15. key — in music
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. rock — music
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. key — the most important part
  24. last — finally

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