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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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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 · spell · bark · temple · roll · snap · wax · mouse

  1. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. snap — to click
  3. bark — to shout
  4. spell — magic
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. roll — a list
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. charge — electricity
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. wax — to grow
  14. charge — in control
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. charge — a price
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. spell — a short time
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. spell — letters

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