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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.

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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 · charge · rash · safe · cue · game · arm · land

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. charge — a price
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. rash — a series
  8. cue — a signal
  9. land — a country
  10. game — a match
  11. land — ground
  12. charge — in control
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. rash — hasty
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. charge — electricity
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. cue — for pool
  22. cue — a hint
  23. game — wild animals
  24. land — to come down

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