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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 · track · snap · race · mouse · bear · wave · bulb

  1. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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. wave — with your hand
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. bulb — for light
  6. race — a contest
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. charge — in control
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. track — a song
  14. bear — the animal
  15. charge — electricity
  16. race — humankind
  17. bulb — for light
  18. bear — the animal
  19. snap — to click
  20. track — a path
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. track — to keep track
  23. race — the arms race
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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