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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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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: snap · rest · lash · mug · pound · pit · pitcher · bear

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. pit — a hole
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. mug — a face
  6. mug — a cup
  7. mug — to rob
  8. rest — what's left
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. bear — the animal
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. rest — what's left
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. bear — the animal
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. rest — a break
  19. snap — to click
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. pound — a weight

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