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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 · snap · bank · perch · plane · ball · pound · court

  1. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. charge — a price
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. bank — for money
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. pound — a weight
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. ball — a great time
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. charge — electricity
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. plane — a tool
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. court — of law
  18. charge — in control
  19. ball — a dance
  20. court — for sport
  21. court — of a king
  22. bank — of a river
  23. perch — the fish
  24. bank — for money

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