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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: jam · file · degree · pass · trunk · wave · stick · rock

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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 an elephant
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. degree — an amount
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. degree — from a university
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. degree — temperature
  15. rock — a stone
  16. pass — a permit
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. file — a tool
  19. file — a line of people
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. rock — music
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. file — a document

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