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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: plane · craft · toast · tube · prune · cold · charge · bulb

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. The water is too ________________.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. prune — to trim
  3. cold — the Cold War
  4. craft — boats
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. craft — a skill
  7. cold — not warm
  8. charge — a price
  9. charge — in control
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. charge — electricity
  13. prune — to trim
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. plane — a tool
  16. bulb — for light
  17. cold — an illness
  18. bulb — for light
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. tube — the underground
  22. toast — bread
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. bulb — of a plant

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