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: field · calf · mug · mark · date · last · stand · stock

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. last — final
  3. last — to go on
  4. mug — a face
  5. mark — a trace
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. mark — a grade
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. stock — goods
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. field — for sport
  12. stand — to bear
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. mug — to rob
  16. date — the fruit
  17. last — finally
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. field — farmland
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. field — a subject
  23. stock — shares
  24. mug — a cup

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