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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 120 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
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: mouse · charge · stock · bowl · fan · kick · bark · snap

  1. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. charge — in control
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. bark — to shout
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. kick — in football
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. stock — goods
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. charge — a price
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. stock — shares
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. snap — to click
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. charge — electricity

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