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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
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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: bowl · land · ball · stand · lash · snap · trunk · charge

  1. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. land — ground
  5. stand — to bear
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. snap — to click
  8. land — to come down
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. charge — electricity
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. land — a country
  19. ball — a dance
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. charge — a price
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. charge — in control
  24. ball — a great time

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