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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 120 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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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: pass · object · net · last · trunk · rock · stick · pound

  1. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. object — a thing
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. pass — a permit
  6. object — an aim
  7. net — after costs
  8. rock — a stone
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. net — for catching
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. last — final
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. rock — music
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. last — finally
  21. net — in sport
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. pound — a weight
  24. last — to go on

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