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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: roll · board · prune · chip · plane · kid · tube · ruler

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. board — to get on
  3. roll — a cake
  4. prune — to trim
  5. tube — a container
  6. kid — child
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. kid — to tease
  12. roll — a list
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. board — a committee
  16. tube — the underground
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. chip — for betting
  20. chip — to eat
  21. plane — a tool
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. prune — to trim
  24. chip — in a computer

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