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: jam · fine · season · mark · rule · snap · pop · prune

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. fine — all right
  4. season — in sport
  5. snap — to click
  6. mark — a trace
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. fine — high quality
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. pop — music
  14. pop — soda
  15. season — of the year
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. rule — government
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. prune — to trim
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. pop — to visit
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. prune — to trim
  24. mark — a grade

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