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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 · squash · fork · suit · board · present · rock · tube

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. tube — a container
  4. present — there
  5. suit — in cards
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. suit — to fit
  8. present — a gift
  9. roll — a cake
  10. suit — clothes
  11. squash — the sport
  12. tube — the underground
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. roll — a list
  17. rock — a stone
  18. fork — in a road
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. squash — to crush
  22. present — the time now
  23. board — to get on
  24. rock — music

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