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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: racket · mark · snap · lie · arm · content · can · charge

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. lie — to recline
  4. snap — to click
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. mark — a trace
  7. content — the amount
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. can — a tin
  10. charge — in control
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. can — to be able to
  16. charge — a price
  17. mark — a grade
  18. charge — electricity
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. content — happy
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. can — a tin
  24. mark — to pay attention

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