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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 116 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: deal · nail · bear · tube · spell · charge · stock · snap

  1. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. charge — a price
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. stock — shares
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. spell — a short time
  10. tube — a container
  11. spell — letters
  12. charge — electricity
  13. stock — goods
  14. bear — the animal
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. bear — the animal
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. spell — magic
  19. deal — to handle
  20. tube — the underground
  21. charge — in control
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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