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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.

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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: rock · snap · mark · racket · wake · temple · scale · charge

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. mark — a trace
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. rock — a stone
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. scale — in music
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. charge — electricity
  12. snap — to click
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. charge — in control
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. scale — size or range
  20. mark — a grade
  21. rock — music
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. charge — a price
  24. scale — for weighing

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