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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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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: ball · lash · charge · arm · wake · ruler · present · snap

  1. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  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. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. present — the time now
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. present — there
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. snap — to click
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. charge — a price
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. ball — a dance
  15. charge — electricity
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. wake — a trail
  18. ball — a great time
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. present — a gift
  23. arm — part of the body
  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