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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: shower · tube · race · trunk · plane · pass · stand · cue

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. shower — rain
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. stand — to bear
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. race — humankind
  8. cue — for pool
  9. plane — a tool
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. cue — a hint
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. tube — a container
  15. race — a contest
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. tube — the underground
  19. shower — to wash
  20. race — the arms race
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. cue — a signal
  23. pass — a permit
  24. stand — for spectators

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