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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: ball · charge · pound · toast · bore · can · snap · lash

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. can — a tin
  3. charge — electricity
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. charge — in control
  6. can — a tin
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. ball — a great time
  10. snap — to click
  11. charge — a price
  12. ball — a dance
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. bore — to tire
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. toast — bread
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. pound — a weight
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. bore — to drill
  24. toast — the most admired

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