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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: snap · hide · key · roll · mouse · charge · pound · bank

  1. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. bank — of a river
  5. key — the most important part
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. roll — a cake
  9. key — in music
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. key — for a lock
  13. bank — for money
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. charge — a price
  16. pound — a weight
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. charge — in control
  19. charge — electricity
  20. roll — a list
  21. bank — for money
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. snap — to click

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