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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
468
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: club · can · craft · spell · trunk · mug · mine · lie

  1. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. mug — a cup
  3. craft — a skill
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. spell — a short time
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. can — a tin
  8. can — to be able to
  9. craft — boats
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. club — for golf
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. can — a tin
  14. mine — for digging
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. club — for dancing
  17. mug — a face
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. club — a group
  21. spell — magic
  22. lie — to recline
  23. mug — to rob
  24. mine — belonging to me

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