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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 120 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: bowl · sharp · can · pass · wave · ground · squash · trunk

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. can — a tin
  4. ground — crushed
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. sharp — clever
  8. squash — to crush
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. ground — a position
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. can — to be able to
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. squash — the sport
  18. pass — a permit
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. can — a tin
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. sharp — exactly

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