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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
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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 · deal · charge · rule · ball · arm · craft · bound

  1. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. bound — tied together
  4. deal — to handle
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. charge — a price
  11. craft — a skill
  12. bound — certain
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. ball — a great time
  15. charge — electricity
  16. ball — a dance
  17. craft — boats
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. rule — a law
  21. bound — obliged
  22. charge — in control
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. craft — a handicraft

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