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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.

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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 · trunk · fork · leaves · pass · board · stand · mine

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. board — to get on
  10. pass — a permit
  11. stand — to bear
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. fork — in a road
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. board — a committee
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. mine — for digging
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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