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 · can · rest · pound · board · tear · date · bore

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. can — to be able to
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. tear — to rip
  5. can — a tin
  6. bore — to drill
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. date — the fruit
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. rest — a break
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. bore — to tire
  14. rest — what's left
  15. board — to get on
  16. tear — from crying
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. rest — what's left
  20. tear — from crying
  21. board — a committee
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. pound — a weight

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