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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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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: ball · wave · pass · saw · trunk · ruler · mate · snap

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. pass — a permit
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. snap — to click
  9. saw — the tool
  10. mate — a friend
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. saw — the tool
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. ball — a dance
  18. mate — a partner
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. mate — to breed
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. ruler — for measuring

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