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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: pass · trunk · bank · board · pop · cabinet · degree · scale

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. bank — for money
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. pass — a permit
  6. pop — soda
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. bank — for money
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. scale — size or range
  12. degree — from a university
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. pop — music
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. pop — to visit
  18. degree — an amount
  19. board — a committee
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. board — to get on
  22. degree — temperature
  23. bank — of a river
  24. scale — in music

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