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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: stick · craft · spring · mouse · drill · lie · trunk · charge

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. drill — army training
  4. spring — a coil
  5. spring — the season
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. craft — a skill
  9. charge — a price
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. spring — of water
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. drill — the tool
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. drill — a practice
  20. charge — electricity
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. lie — to recline
  23. craft — boats
  24. trunk — of a tree

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