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: prune · stand · land · fine · bass · present · snap · pass

  1. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. prune — to trim
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. present — a gift
  5. land — to come down
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. snap — to click
  8. land — a country
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. bass — low music
  13. present — there
  14. land — ground
  15. prune — to trim
  16. pass — a permit
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. fine — all right
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. fine — high quality
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. bass — the fish
  23. present — the time now
  24. stand — to bear

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