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 · rush · press · patient · mug · game · pop · dip

  1. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. mug — to rob
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. press — newspapers
  5. press — to push
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. tear — from crying
  8. dip — to sink
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. rush — hurry
  13. pop — music
  14. game — wild animals
  15. pop — soda
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. mug — a face
  18. tear — to rip
  19. game — a match
  20. mug — a cup
  21. pop — to visit
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. press — a publisher

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