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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 · board · march · craft · trunk · scale · lie · charge

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. march — the month
  3. craft — a skill
  4. scale — size or range
  5. craft — boats
  6. board — a committee
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. board — to get on
  9. march — the month
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. charge — a price
  12. charge — in control
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. march — music
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. charge — electricity
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. lie — to recline
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. sharp — clever
  24. scale — in music

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