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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.

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: pass · current · tube · row · stick · plane · perch · trunk

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. tube — a container
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. row — a line
  13. row — to paddle
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. current — of water
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. perch — the fish
  19. current — electric
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. tube — the underground
  23. current — happening now
  24. pass — a permit

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