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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: wave · trunk · pass · file · pound · sharp · bank · board

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. bank — for money
  3. bank — of a river
  4. file — a line of people
  5. file — a tool
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. pass — a permit
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. pound — a weight
  13. board — a committee
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. board — to get on
  20. bank — for money
  21. sharp — clever
  22. file — a document
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. wave — of the sea

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