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: club · pass · key · stock · patient · field · kick · can

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. stock — shares
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. can — to be able to
  5. club — for dancing
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. can — a tin
  9. key — the most important part
  10. field — a subject
  11. field — for sport
  12. stock — goods
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. kick — in football
  15. key — for a lock
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. key — in music
  18. club — for golf
  19. club — a group
  20. pass — a permit
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. field — farmland
  23. can — a tin
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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