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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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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: pound · snap · track · lash · squash · prune · rush · chip

  1. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. snap — to click
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. squash — to crush
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. chip — for betting
  9. pound — a weight
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. prune — to trim
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. squash — the sport
  14. chip — to eat
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. track — a song
  17. track — a path
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. prune — to trim
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. rush — hurry
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. track — to keep track

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