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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: tube · sharp · fan · roll · leaves · calf · board · bound

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. tube — a container
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. bound — tied together
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. sharp — clever
  7. board — to get on
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. roll — a list
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. bound — certain
  16. tube — the underground
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. roll — a cake
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. board — a committee
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. bound — obliged

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