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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: lash · jam · dip · pit · club · net · pop · mouse

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. pop — to visit
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. net — for catching
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. net — after costs
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. club — for dancing
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. dip — to sink
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. pop — soda
  15. club — a group
  16. net — in sport
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. pop — music
  19. club — for golf
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. pit — in a race
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. mouse — the animal

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