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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
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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: trunk · kick · dip · hand · charge · arm · rule · mug

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. hand — help
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. mug — a face
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. rule — government
  10. charge — electricity
  11. rule — a law
  12. charge — in control
  13. mug — a cup
  14. kick — in football
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. mug — to rob
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. hand — in cards
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. charge — a price
  24. dip — to sink

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