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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: spell · snap · bank · charge · mark · object · foot · stock

  1. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. charge — a price
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. spell — a short time
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. object — to protest
  8. spell — letters
  9. object — an aim
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. foot — a measure
  12. bank — for money
  13. object — a thing
  14. bank — of a river
  15. stock — goods
  16. mark — a grade
  17. charge — electricity
  18. charge — in control
  19. mark — a trace
  20. spell — magic
  21. snap — to click
  22. stock — shares
  23. foot — part of the body
  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