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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: fan · rash · roll · scale · charge · mate · firm · snap

  1. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. rash — a series
  4. scale — size or range
  5. charge — electricity
  6. rash — hasty
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. firm — decided
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. firm — steady
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. mate — to breed
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. scale — in music
  18. charge — a price
  19. snap — to click
  20. mate — a partner
  21. charge — in control
  22. firm — a company
  23. mate — a friend
  24. roll — a cake

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