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

Word bank: snap · lash · suit · race · net · mark

  1. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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. lash — to lash out
  3. mark — a trace
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. race — the arms race
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. suit — clothes
  8. net — after costs
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. net — for catching
  11. net — in sport
  12. snap — to click
  13. mark — a grade
  14. suit — in cards
  15. suit — to fit
  16. race — a contest
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. race — humankind

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