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 116 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. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. wound — an injury
  3. deal — to handle
  4. cue — a signal
  5. wound — an injury
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. prune — to trim
  10. prune — to trim
  11. cue — a hint
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. pop — soda
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. rush — hurry
  20. cue — for pool
  21. tear — from crying
  22. pop — to visit
  23. pop — music
  24. tear — from crying

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