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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: mouse · bay · object · season · lash · snap · chip · band

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  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. lash — an eyelash
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. object — to protest
  4. chip — for betting
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. object — an aim
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. snap — to click
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. season — in sport
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. season — of the year
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. band — a music group
  20. band — a ring
  21. object — a thing
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. chip — to eat
  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