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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: mug · snap · lash · pitcher · dip · cabinet · safe · content

  1. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. content — happy
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. content — the amount
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. snap — to click
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. mug — a cup
  11. dip — to sink
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. mug — a face
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. mug — to rob
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. cabinet — ministers

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