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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: trunk · craft · suit · charge · bore · fan · band · stem

  1. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. charge — in control
  3. suit — in cards
  4. suit — clothes
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. craft — a skill
  8. charge — electricity
  9. craft — boats
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. suit — to fit
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. charge — a price
  17. bore — to tire
  18. band — a music group
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. bore — to drill
  21. stem — to come from
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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