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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: craft · lie · snap · can · charge · branch · trunk · fan

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. branch — a division
  6. charge — electricity
  7. craft — a skill
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. lie — to recline
  12. can — a tin
  13. charge — a price
  14. craft — boats
  15. can — to be able to
  16. charge — in control
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. snap — to click
  22. can — a tin
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. fan — a supporter

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