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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 120 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: racket · snap · arm · pit · lash · dip · plane · bore

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. pit — a hole
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. bore — to tire
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. snap — to click
  15. pit — in a race
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. plane — a tool
  22. bore — to drill
  23. dip — to sink
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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