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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 116 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
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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: board · pitcher · trunk · rest · coach · cap · bowl · dip

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. board — a committee
  4. dip — to sink
  5. cap — a lid
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. cap — a hat
  8. cap — of ice
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. board — to get on
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. rest — what's left
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. rest — a break
  24. rest — what's left

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