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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 · pit · charge · craft · stick · stock · toast · fine

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. stock — goods
  4. fine — high quality
  5. stock — shares
  6. toast — bread
  7. pit — in a race
  8. prune — to trim
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. charge — a price
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. craft — boats
  15. fine — all right
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. prune — to trim
  18. charge — electricity
  19. craft — a skill
  20. charge — in control
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. pit — a hole
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. stock — a soup base

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