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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: mouse · snap · mark · pit · arm · pitcher · rash · lie

  1. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. mark — a grade
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. pit — a hole
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. mark — a trace
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. pit — in a race
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. rash — hasty
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. snap — to click
  21. lie — to recline
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. rash — a series

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