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: tear · pop · present · lean · rush · patient · mug · bank

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. present — the time now
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. pop — music
  6. present — there
  7. pop — soda
  8. lean — to bend
  9. pop — to visit
  10. bank — of a river
  11. present — a gift
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. mug — a cup
  14. rush — hurry
  15. lean — thin
  16. mug — to rob
  17. tear — to rip
  18. tear — from crying
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. mug — a face
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. bank — for money
  23. tear — from crying
  24. bank — for money

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