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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · bear · cabinet · pass · board · saw · rock · row

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. saw — the tool
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. rock — a stone
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. saw — the tool
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. board — a committee
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. row — a line
  14. row — to paddle
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. bear — the animal
  17. board — to get on
  18. rock — music
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. pass — a permit
  23. bear — the animal
  24. cabinet — ministers

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