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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: charge · snap · ground · roll · nail · craft · perch · wave

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  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. nail — for a hammer
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. charge — in control
  5. roll — a list
  6. ground — the earth
  7. craft — a skill
  8. snap — to click
  9. craft — boats
  10. roll — a cake
  11. perch — the fish
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. ground — a position
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. ground — crushed
  17. charge — a price
  18. charge — electricity
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. perch — for a bird
  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