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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: date · rush · prune · ground · calf · chip · dip · can

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. ground — a position
  3. prune — to trim
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. ground — crushed
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. can — to be able to
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. can — a tin
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. rush — hurry
  15. date — the fruit
  16. can — a tin
  17. dip — to sink
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. chip — for betting
  21. ground — the earth
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. prune — to trim
  24. date — on the calendar

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