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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 116 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: content · cap · vault · current · lash · net · pass · snap

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. cap — of ice
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. current — of water
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. content — the amount
  9. net — after costs
  10. vault — a safe
  11. cap — a hat
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. pass — a permit
  15. snap — to click
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. current — happening now
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. net — in sport
  21. cap — a lid
  22. net — for catching
  23. current — electric
  24. content — happy

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