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 120 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 · pop · row · pit · rule · fall · snap · bank

  1. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. bank — for money
  3. fall — to drop
  4. bank — for money
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. snap — to click
  8. fall — to drop
  9. prune — to trim
  10. pop — music
  11. pit — in a race
  12. rule — government
  13. pop — to visit
  14. rule — a law
  15. pop — soda
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. row — to paddle
  19. pit — a hole
  20. prune — to trim
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. fall — the season
  23. bank — of a river
  24. row — a quarrel

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