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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 · bay · board · prune · foot · dip · band · rash

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. dip — to sink
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. prune — to trim
  7. rash — a series
  8. band — a ring
  9. rash — hasty
  10. prune — to trim
  11. band — a music group
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. roll — a cake
  16. board — to get on
  17. foot — a measure
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. roll — a list
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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