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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 120 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: mark · cue · nail · pit · lash · snap · rash · leaves

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. pit — a hole
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. mark — a trace
  10. rash — a series
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. cue — for pool
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. mark — a grade
  17. snap — to click
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. cue — a signal
  20. pit — in a race
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. rash — hasty
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. lash — an eyelash

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