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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: trunk · object · snap · pass · band · nail · club · can

  1. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. band — a ring
  4. object — a thing
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. object — an aim
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. band — a music group
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. club — a group
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. can — to be able to
  13. object — to protest
  14. can — a tin
  15. can — a tin
  16. snap — to click
  17. pass — a permit
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. club — for golf
  21. club — for dancing
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. pass — to succeed

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