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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 120 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 · content · pitcher · stock · mate · pit · ruler · lash

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. stock — goods
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. pit — in a race
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. mate — a friend
  10. content — happy
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. mate — a partner
  14. stock — shares
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. pit — a hole
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. mate — to breed
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. snap — to click
  23. content — the amount
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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