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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 120 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: trunk · saw · wave · pass · key · game · tube · ruler

  1. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. pass — a permit
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. game — a match
  7. game — wild animals
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. key — the most important part
  10. tube — a container
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. key — for a lock
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. tube — the underground
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. saw — the tool
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. key — in music

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