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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 · pass · deal · trunk · wake · tube · lean · mark

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. tube — the underground
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. mark — a trace
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. mark — a grade
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. lean — to bend
  15. pass — a permit
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. deal — to handle
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. tube — a container
  22. wake — a trail
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. lean — thin

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