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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: charge · mark · staff · bowl · snap · lash · scale · lean

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. mark — a trace
  5. mark — a grade
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. charge — in control
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. lean — thin
  10. charge — electricity
  11. scale — in music
  12. staff — a stick
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. charge — a price
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. scale — size or range
  20. lean — to bend
  21. staff — employees
  22. snap — to click
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. staff — employees

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