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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: roll · rock · degree · coach · toast · chip · firm · tube

  1. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. roll — a cake
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. firm — decided
  6. tube — a container
  7. degree — an amount
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. chip — for betting
  10. degree — from a university
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. chip — to eat
  13. rock — a stone
  14. firm — a company
  15. roll — a list
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. degree — temperature
  19. firm — steady
  20. tube — the underground
  21. rock — music
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. rock — to move gently

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