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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. charge — in control
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. charge — a price
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. kick — in football
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. bark — to shout
  18. mark — a grade
  19. mark — a trace
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. charge — electricity
  24. arm — part of the body

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