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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.

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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: ruler · bay · can · lie · snap · trunk · charge · craft

  1. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. can — to be able to
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. craft — a skill
  8. charge — a price
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. can — a tin
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. charge — electricity
  16. craft — boats
  17. can — a tin
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. charge — in control
  20. lie — to recline
  21. snap — to click
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. ruler — for measuring

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