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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.

Make a worksheet

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
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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 · shower · racket · trunk · cue · toast · march

  1. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. shower — to wash
  3. march — the month
  4. shower — rain
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. cue — for pool
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. cue — a hint
  12. roll — a cake
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. march — music
  16. board — a committee
  17. roll — a list
  18. board — to get on
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. march — the month
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. cue — a signal

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