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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 116 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: lash · cue · nail · wind · can · bear · pitch · snap

  1. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. wind — moving air
  6. bear — the animal
  7. can — a tin
  8. wind — moving air
  9. cue — a signal
  10. can — a tin
  11. cue — for pool
  12. pitch — completely
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. can — to be able to
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. cue — a hint
  19. bear — the animal
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. lash — an eyelash

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