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: patient · tear · staff · bank · temple · straw

  1. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. bank — for money
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. bank — of a river
  8. staff — a stick
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. staff — employees
  11. tear — from crying
  12. bank — for money
  13. staff — employees
  14. tear — from crying
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. straw — to clutch at straws

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