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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: fine · nail · hand · board · bay · coach · roll · tube

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. fine — all right
  6. board — a committee
  7. board — to get on
  8. roll — a cake
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. tube — the underground
  14. fine — high quality
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. hand — help
  17. roll — a list
  18. hand — in cards
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. tube — a container
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. nail — for a hammer

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