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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: net · hand · wake · trunk · face · can · pass · season

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. hand — in cards
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. can — a tin
  5. face — to point toward
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. pass — a permit
  9. net — after costs
  10. season — of the year
  11. net — in sport
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. face — part of the head
  14. hand — help
  15. net — for catching
  16. can — to be able to
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. season — in sport
  20. face — to confront
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. can — a tin
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. wake — a trail

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