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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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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: jam · trunk · clip · wake · charge · temple · toast · tear

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  20. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. charge — in control
  4. wake — a trail
  5. clip — to cut
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. tear — to rip
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. tear — from crying
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. charge — a price
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. clip — for paper
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. clip — a video
  20. tear — from crying
  21. toast — bread
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. charge — electricity

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