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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 120 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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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: last · deal · snap · lean · trunk · shower · charge · bay

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. charge — in control
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. deal — to handle
  6. last — finally
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. shower — rain
  9. last — final
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. last — to go on
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. lean — to bend
  18. lean — thin
  19. charge — electricity
  20. charge — a price
  21. shower — to wash
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. snap — to click

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