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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: snap · suit · jam · lie · pit · lash · bulb · swing

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. lie — to recline
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. pit — in a race
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. snap — to click
  11. pit — a hole
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. swing — to play on
  16. swing — music
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. bulb — for light
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. suit — to fit
  21. swing — in golf
  22. suit — clothes
  23. bulb — for light
  24. lie — an untruth

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