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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: racket · snap · charge · mug · tear · current · firm · scale

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. charge — a price
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. mug — to rob
  5. firm — a company
  6. tear — from crying
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. mug — a cup
  9. tear — from crying
  10. snap — to click
  11. charge — in control
  12. mug — a face
  13. tear — to rip
  14. current — happening now
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. current — electric
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. current — of water
  19. scale — in music
  20. charge — electricity
  21. firm — decided
  22. firm — steady
  23. scale — size or range
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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