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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 · coach · dip · pop · tube · wax · board · wound

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. wound — an injury
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. tube — a container
  6. dip — to sink
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. pop — soda
  13. wax — to grow
  14. pop — music
  15. roll — a list
  16. roll — a cake
  17. pop — to visit
  18. tube — the underground
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. wound — an injury
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. board — to get on
  24. board — a committee

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