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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: trunk · roll · vault · mate · pass · bass · stem · ball

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. ball — a great time
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. stem — to come from
  7. mate — a partner
  8. bass — low music
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. mate — a friend
  11. roll — a list
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. vault — a safe
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. mate — to breed
  19. ball — a dance
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. roll — a cake
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. bass — the fish
  24. pass — to succeed

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