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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: bay · prune · dip · rest · toast · craft · spring · pitcher

  1. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. rest — what's left
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. spring — the season
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. spring — a coil
  10. rest — a break
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. toast — bread
  15. prune — to trim
  16. rest — what's left
  17. craft — boats
  18. craft — a skill
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. dip — to sink
  21. spring — of water
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. prune — to trim

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