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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 120 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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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: arm · wave · racket · snap · charge · pop · present · mark

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. present — a gift
  3. pop — music
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. mark — a grade
  6. mark — a trace
  7. pop — soda
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. present — the time now
  11. charge — a price
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. pop — to visit
  16. charge — electricity
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. snap — to click
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. present — there
  24. wave — with your hand

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