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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. tear — to rip
  4. tear — from crying
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. prune — to trim
  8. suit — in cards
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. prune — to trim
  11. suit — to fit
  12. plane — a tool
  13. tear — from crying
  14. lie — to recline
  15. club — for golf
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. suit — clothes
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. club — a group
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. club — for dancing
  24. lie — an untruth

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