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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 116 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: trunk · net · bay · wound · wax · pass · stick · clip

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. wax — to grow
  6. clip — for paper
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. net — for catching
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. clip — a video
  13. net — after costs
  14. net — in sport
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. wound — an injury
  19. pass — a permit
  20. clip — to cut
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. wound — an injury
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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