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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 116 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: game · lash · charge · bowl · trunk · land · chair · wave

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  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. bowl — to roll
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. land — to come down
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. charge — a price
  7. land — ground
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. game — wild animals
  10. charge — in control
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. game — a match
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. chair — a leader
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. land — a country
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. chair — to sit on
  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