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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: charge · snap · game · band · bank · sharp · bear · craft

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. charge — electricity
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. snap — to click
  5. game — wild animals
  6. charge — a price
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. bear — the animal
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. craft — a skill
  14. bank — for money
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. game — a match
  17. bank — for money
  18. craft — boats
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. bear — the animal
  21. band — a ring
  22. band — a music group
  23. bank — of a river
  24. sharp — clever

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