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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: present · rock · trunk · scale · dip · mate · pass · nail

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. mate — a partner
  3. pass — a permit
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. present — there
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. present — the time now
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. mate — a friend
  12. mate — to breed
  13. rock — a stone
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. dip — to sink
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. rock — music
  20. scale — in music
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. present — a gift
  24. scale — size or range

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