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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
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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: mark · snap · pitcher · rock · clip · pop · lash · present

  1. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  21. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  22. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. rock — music
  3. present — a gift
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. present — there
  7. pop — music
  8. mark — a grade
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. pop — to visit
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. present — the time now
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. pop — soda
  17. mark — a trace
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. rock — a stone
  20. clip — a video
  21. clip — for paper
  22. clip — to cut
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. pitcher — a jug

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