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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: bay · snap · lash · can · pitcher · ball · bound · cap

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. can — a tin
  5. bound — tied together
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. ball — a great time
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. bound — certain
  10. ball — a dance
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. cap — of ice
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. cap — a hat
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. bound — obliged
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. snap — to click
  23. cap — a lid
  24. can — a tin

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