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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: craft · ruler · rest · pit · trunk · charge · cold · bear

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. The water is too ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. charge — in control
  4. charge — electricity
  5. charge — a price
  6. rest — what's left
  7. rest — what's left
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. cold — an illness
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. rest — a break
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. pit — a hole
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. pit — in a race
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. bear — the animal
  19. cold — the Cold War
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. bear — the animal
  22. craft — boats
  23. craft — a skill
  24. cold — not warm

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