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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 · face · ball · stock · fan · tube · stick · roll

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. roll — a list
  3. prune — to trim
  4. ball — a dance
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. face — to point toward
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. face — to confront
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. tube — the underground
  15. prune — to trim
  16. stock — goods
  17. face — part of the head
  18. ball — a great time
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. stock — shares
  22. roll — a cake
  23. tube — a container
  24. fan — to cool the air

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