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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: bay · deal · chip · trunk · court · roll · tube · dip

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. tube — the underground
  4. court — of law
  5. chip — for betting
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. roll — a cake
  10. roll — a list
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. chip — to eat
  17. court — for sport
  18. tube — a container
  19. dip — to sink
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. deal — to handle
  22. court — of a king
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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