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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: suit · stock · dip · tube · fan · roll · board · chair

  1. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. dip — to sink
  7. tube — a container
  8. tube — the underground
  9. stock — goods
  10. chair — a leader
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. suit — to fit
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. suit — clothes
  16. roll — a list
  17. board — to get on
  18. roll — a cake
  19. board — a committee
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. suit — in cards
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. stock — shares

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