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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: sharp · kick · mine · wake · lie · charge · trunk · row

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. row — to paddle
  5. charge — a price
  6. charge — in control
  7. kick — in football
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. wake — a trail
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. row — a line
  14. charge — electricity
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. lie — to recline
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. mine — for digging
  24. trunk — of a car

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