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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 · mouse · track · roll · can · lash · toast · current

  1. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. track — to keep track
  3. current — electric
  4. roll — a list
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. roll — a cake
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. track — a path
  11. current — of water
  12. prune — to trim
  13. can — a tin
  14. prune — to trim
  15. can — a tin
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. current — happening now
  18. can — to be able to
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. track — a song
  24. mouse — the animal

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