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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 · ball · pass · snap · jam · fall · suit · spring

  1. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. charge — in control
  3. snap — to click
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. fall — to drop
  7. ball — a great time
  8. spring — a coil
  9. spring — of water
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. charge — electricity
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. charge — a price
  15. spring — the season
  16. fall — the season
  17. pass — a permit
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. ball — a dance
  20. suit — in cards
  21. suit — clothes
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. suit — to fit

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