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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 116 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: lash · wind · chip · fine · mate · snap · scale · pit

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. mate — to breed
  3. mate — a partner
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. pit — in a race
  7. chip — to eat
  8. scale — in music
  9. wind — moving air
  10. snap — to click
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. fine — all right
  16. mate — a friend
  17. wind — moving air
  18. chip — for betting
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. fine — high quality
  22. pit — a hole
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. lash — to lash out

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