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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: mine · prune · pop · tube · chip · foot · cabinet · toast

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. tube — a container
  6. pop — to visit
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. pop — soda
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. mine — for digging
  11. chip — for betting
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. tube — the underground
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. prune — to trim
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. pop — music
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. prune — to trim
  23. foot — a measure
  24. toast — bread

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