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: date · ball · prune · fine · pass · bass · perch · face

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. prune — to trim
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. bass — low music
  5. ball — a great time
  6. prune — to trim
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. ball — a dance
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. date — the fruit
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. face — to point toward
  14. fine — high quality
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. fine — all right
  19. bass — the fish
  20. face — part of the head
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. face — to confront
  23. perch — the fish
  24. pass — to succeed

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