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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 116 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: wake · snap · fan · mouse · rock · track · charge · mark

  1. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. rock — a stone
  3. rock — music
  4. charge — in control
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. charge — electricity
  9. wake — a trail
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. snap — to click
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. track — to keep track
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. mark — a trace
  18. mark — a grade
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. track — a path
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. charge — a price
  23. track — a song
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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