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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 120 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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: bowl · dip · prune · chip · spring · craft · pass · lie

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. spring — of water
  3. craft — a skill
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. spring — the season
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. lie — to recline
  8. spring — a coil
  9. prune — to trim
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. pass — a permit
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. chip — for betting
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. prune — to trim
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. chip — to eat
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. dip — to sink
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. craft — boats

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