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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: prune · tube · wave · net · current · track · chip · object

  1. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. net — for catching
  3. chip — to eat
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. tube — a container
  7. net — in sport
  8. object — an aim
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. prune — to trim
  12. current — of water
  13. chip — for betting
  14. prune — to trim
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. object — a thing
  17. tube — the underground
  18. object — to protest
  19. track — a path
  20. net — after costs
  21. track — a song
  22. current — electric
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. track — to keep track

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