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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: toast · trunk · craft · chip · pop · track · bowl · clip

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. clip — for paper
  5. chip — for betting
  6. pop — music
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. track — a song
  11. clip — to cut
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. craft — boats
  15. toast — bread
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. pop — soda
  18. track — a path
  19. chip — to eat
  20. clip — a video
  21. pop — to visit
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. craft — a skill
  24. track — to keep track

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