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 120 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: kick · hand · can · stock · pass · patient · bear · mark

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. can — to be able to
  7. bear — the animal
  8. mark — a grade
  9. pass — a permit
  10. can — a tin
  11. can — a tin
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. hand — in cards
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. hand — help
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. kick — in football
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. bear — the animal
  22. mark — a trace
  23. stock — goods
  24. hand — part of the body

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