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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 · toast · plane · chip · craft · bowl · pit · track

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. toast — bread
  4. craft — boats
  5. prune — to trim
  6. plane — a tool
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. prune — to trim
  11. track — a path
  12. pit — in a race
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. craft — a skill
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. track — to keep track
  19. pit — a hole
  20. chip — to eat
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. chip — for betting
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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