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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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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: firm · pitch · wave · mate · lash · bore · dip · snap

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. mate — to breed
  4. mate — a partner
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. dip — to sink
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. bore — to drill
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. firm — a company
  12. pitch — completely
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. snap — to click
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. firm — steady
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. firm — decided
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. mate — a friend

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