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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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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: can · face · board · mouse · pass · band · trunk · spring

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. spring — a coil
  3. face — to point toward
  4. spring — the season
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. board — to get on
  7. band — a music group
  8. pass — a permit
  9. face — to confront
  10. band — a ring
  11. can — a tin
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. board — a committee
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. can — to be able to
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. can — a tin
  22. spring — of water
  23. face — part of the head
  24. band — a rubber band

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