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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
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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: pass · mate · trunk · coach · firm · wax · deal · file

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. mate — a friend
  4. file — a tool
  5. file — a line of people
  6. deal — to handle
  7. firm — steady
  8. firm — a company
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. pass — a permit
  15. mate — a partner
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. firm — decided
  19. wax — to grow
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. mate — to breed
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. file — a document
  24. trunk — of a tree

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