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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 · snap · stand · chip · temple · wake · ball · tube

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. tube — a container
  3. snap — to click
  4. chip — for betting
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. prune — to trim
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. prune — to trim
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. tube — the underground
  15. wake — a trail
  16. stand — to bear
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. ball — a great time
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. ball — a dance
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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