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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: band · lie · bank · can · trunk · snap · charge · leaves

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. can — to be able to
  4. charge — electricity
  5. can — a tin
  6. band — a ring
  7. bank — for money
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. snap — to click
  11. bank — of a river
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. lie — to recline
  14. charge — a price
  15. charge — in control
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. bank — for money
  20. band — a music group
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. lie — an untruth

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