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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: branch · tube · chip · dip · board · toast · band · plane

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. board — to get on
  3. plane — a tool
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. band — a ring
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. band — a music group
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. chip — for betting
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. tube — a container
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. branch — a division
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. chip — to eat
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. dip — to sink
  22. toast — bread
  23. tube — the underground
  24. board — a committee

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