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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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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: track · lash · fan · chip · snap · land · mouse · pit

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. chip — to eat
  4. track — to keep track
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. land — a country
  7. snap — to click
  8. pit — a hole
  9. land — to come down
  10. track — a song
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. chip — for betting
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. track — a path
  21. land — ground
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. mouse — for a computer

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