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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: pass · wind · arm · bear · lean · trunk · roll · pop

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. pop — to visit
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. bear — the animal
  8. roll — a cake
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. roll — a list
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. pass — a permit
  15. lean — to bend
  16. pop — music
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. pop — soda
  19. wind — moving air
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. lean — thin
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. wind — moving air
  24. bear — the animal

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