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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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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: roll · bowl · dip · board · ruler · cell

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. dip — to sink
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. cell — a phone
  10. board — to get on
  11. cell — in biology
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. roll — a cake
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. roll — a list
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. bowl — a football final

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