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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: bore · trunk · spell · pass · wave · mine · fall · bowl

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. bore — to drill
  3. bore — to tire
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. spell — magic
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. mine — for digging
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. fall — to drop
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. fall — the season
  19. fall — to drop
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. pass — a permit
  23. spell — a short time
  24. spell — letters

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