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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.

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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 · charge · straw · temple · lie · mine · bulb · club

  1. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. charge — in control
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. club — for dancing
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. bulb — for light
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. lie — to recline
  18. charge — electricity
  19. charge — a price
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. mine — for digging
  22. club — a group
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. bulb — for light

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