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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: swing · lean · lie · charge · can · trunk · jam · race

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. charge — a price
  6. lie — to recline
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. can — a tin
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. charge — electricity
  11. lean — thin
  12. charge — in control
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. race — the arms race
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. race — humankind
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. can — to be able to
  19. race — a contest
  20. swing — to play on
  21. swing — in golf
  22. can — a tin
  23. lean — to bend
  24. swing — 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