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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: pass · pound · wave · trunk · spring · craft · cabinet · hand

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. pass — a permit
  3. spring — of water
  4. spring — a coil
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. hand — help
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. craft — a skill
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. craft — boats
  12. spring — the season
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. pound — a weight
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. hand — in cards
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. pound — for dogs

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