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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. cue — for pool
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. fall — the season
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. tube — the underground
  10. tube — a container
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. fall — to drop
  15. fall — to drop
  16. cue — a signal
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. cue — a hint

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