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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: bear · clip · plane · toast · trunk · key · pass · squash

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. key — for a lock
  4. bear — the animal
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. key — in music
  7. squash — to crush
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. squash — the sport
  11. clip — to cut
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. clip — a video
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. pass — a permit
  17. toast — bread
  18. bear — the animal
  19. key — the most important part
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. plane — a tool
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. clip — for paper
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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