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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: rash · snap · key · trunk · board · toast · drill · pass

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. board — to get on
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. toast — bread
  6. key — the most important part
  7. snap — to click
  8. pass — a permit
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. key — for a lock
  11. key — in music
  12. drill — a practice
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. board — a committee
  16. drill — army training
  17. drill — the tool
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. rash — a series
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. rash — hasty
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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