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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: cap · tube · roll · ball · trunk · game · deal · firm

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. ball — a great time
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. game — wild animals
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. roll — a cake
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. cap — a hat
  9. cap — of ice
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. ball — a dance
  12. deal — to handle
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. tube — the underground
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. tube — a container
  17. firm — a company
  18. game — a match
  19. cap — a lid
  20. firm — steady
  21. firm — decided
  22. roll — a list
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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