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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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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: shower · wake · race · safe · pass · trunk · mark · toast

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. mark — a trace
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. shower — rain
  9. toast — bread
  10. wake — a trail
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. race — the arms race
  14. pass — a permit
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. race — a contest
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. shower — to wash
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. race — humankind
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. mark — a grade

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