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 116 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: pass · pop · bowl · land · prune · snap · fine · row

  1. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. row — to paddle
  3. row — a line
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. snap — to click
  8. land — to come down
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. fine — all right
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. fine — high quality
  13. pop — soda
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. prune — to trim
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. pop — music
  20. pass — a permit
  21. land — a country
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. pop — to visit
  24. prune — to trim

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