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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.

Make a worksheet

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: march · trunk · fan · ball · wave · chair · pass · face

  1. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. face — part of the head
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. face — to point toward
  9. face — to confront
  10. march — the month
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. ball — a great time
  14. chair — a leader
  15. march — music
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. ball — a dance
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. pass — a permit
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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