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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: roll · craft · stand · rest · bulb · face · trunk · charge

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. roll — a list
  3. rest — a break
  4. face — to confront
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. craft — a skill
  7. craft — boats
  8. rest — what's left
  9. charge — electricity
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. charge — in control
  12. bulb — for light
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. face — to point toward
  16. roll — a cake
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. charge — a price
  19. rest — what's left
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. face — part of the head
  22. bulb — for light
  23. stand — to bear
  24. stand — for spectators

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