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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 · stand · bay · cabinet · fan · rock · chip · lash

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. rock — a stone
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. stand — to bear
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. snap — to click
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. chip — to eat
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. chip — for betting
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. rock — music

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