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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: snap · bulb · swing · pass · charge · saw · track · bear

  1. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. charge — a price
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. pass — a permit
  5. bear — the animal
  6. snap — to click
  7. bear — the animal
  8. charge — electricity
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. swing — music
  12. saw — the tool
  13. track — a path
  14. swing — in golf
  15. swing — to play on
  16. saw — the tool
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. bulb — for light
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. bulb — for light
  22. track — to keep track
  23. track — a song
  24. charge — in control

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