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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 · toast · dip · trunk · bowl · sharp · tube

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. tube — the underground
  3. board — a committee
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. roll — a cake
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. board — to get on
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. toast — bread
  14. roll — a list
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. dip — to sink
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. tube — a container
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. sharp — clever
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. dip — to dunk

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