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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: cap · bank · wake · board · wave · charge · track · snap

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. charge — electricity
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. track — to keep track
  9. snap — to click
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. bank — of a river
  13. board — a committee
  14. board — to get on
  15. cap — a lid
  16. bank — for money
  17. charge — a price
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. track — a song
  20. bank — for money
  21. cap — a hat
  22. cap — of ice
  23. wake — a trail
  24. track — a path

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