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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: wave · ball · trunk · press · wake · pass · season · board

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. press — a publisher
  4. pass — a permit
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. board — to get on
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. ball — a great time
  14. press — newspapers
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. board — a committee
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. season — of the year
  20. press — to push
  21. ball — a dance
  22. season — in sport
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. wake — a trail

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