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: pop · prune · patient · pass · firm · leaves · saw · tear

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. saw — the tool
  3. tear — from crying
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. firm — decided
  7. tear — from crying
  8. pop — music
  9. tear — to rip
  10. prune — to trim
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. firm — a company
  14. saw — the tool
  15. prune — to trim
  16. pass — a permit
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. pop — to visit
  20. pop — soda
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. firm — steady

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