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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 116 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: current · bowl · nail · pass · saw · file · face · trunk

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. face — part of the head
  6. face — to confront
  7. saw — the tool
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. pass — a permit
  10. current — electric
  11. file — a line of people
  12. current — of water
  13. file — a document
  14. saw — the tool
  15. file — a tool
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. face — to point toward
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. current — happening now
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. bowl — a dish

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