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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: stick · trunk · sharp · fall · pass · bear · plane · bank

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. pass — a permit
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. fall — to drop
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. fall — to drop
  9. sharp — clever
  10. bank — for money
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. bear — the animal
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. bank — of a river
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. bank — for money
  18. bear — the animal
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. plane — a tool
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. fall — the season

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