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 · last · leaves · tear · racket · prune · bore

  1. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  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. prune — to trim
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. bore — to tire
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. can — a tin
  9. prune — to trim
  10. last — final
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. tear — from crying
  16. last — finally
  17. can — to be able to
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. tear — to rip
  21. can — a tin
  22. last — to go on
  23. bore — to drill
  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