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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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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: lash · trunk · snap · mug · ball · pitch · chip · bulb

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. chip — for betting
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. mug — to rob
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. mug — a face
  12. ball — a great time
  13. mug — a cup
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. chip — to eat
  16. snap — to click
  17. bulb — for light
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. pitch — completely
  22. ball — a dance
  23. bulb — for light
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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