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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: chip · pitcher · snap · pop · rush · bore · mouse · net

  1. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. net — in sport
  4. net — after costs
  5. chip — to eat
  6. pop — music
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. net — for catching
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. pop — to visit
  15. bore — to tire
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. chip — for betting
  19. pop — soda
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. bore — to drill
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. rush — hurry

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