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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: roll · trunk · pass · key · suit · cell · ground · shower

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. ground — crushed
  5. key — in music
  6. suit — in cards
  7. roll — a list
  8. suit — clothes
  9. roll — a cake
  10. pass — a permit
  11. key — the most important part
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. ground — the earth
  14. cell — a phone
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. suit — to fit
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. shower — to wash
  21. shower — rain
  22. key — for a lock
  23. cell — in biology
  24. ground — a position

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