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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.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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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: toast · prune · rock · bear · pass · bowl · field · current

  1. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. prune — to trim
  6. current — of water
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. rock — a stone
  10. pass — a permit
  11. current — happening now
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. bear — the animal
  15. rock — music
  16. field — for sport
  17. field — farmland
  18. prune — to trim
  19. bear — the animal
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. field — a subject
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. current — electric
  24. toast — bread

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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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