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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: snap · bat · leaves · charge · dip · ruler · calf · hand

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. charge — electricity
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. hand — in cards
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. dip — to sink
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. bat — the animal
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. charge — a price
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. snap — to click
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. charge — in control
  24. hand — help

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