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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: snap · lash · deal · game · present · roll · rush · pass

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. roll — a list
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. game — a match
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. rush — hurry
  14. present — a gift
  15. deal — to handle
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. snap — to click
  18. present — there
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. present — the time now
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. game — wild animals
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. roll — a cake

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