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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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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: shower · trunk · wind · wake · bank · nail · pass · race

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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 a tree
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. race — a contest
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. shower — rain
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. wind — moving air
  10. bank — for money
  11. race — the arms race
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. wake — a trail
  15. race — humankind
  16. bank — for money
  17. pass — a permit
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. bank — of a river
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. wind — moving air
  24. shower — to wash

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