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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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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: mate · snap · track · jam · lash · clip · stick · scale

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. snap — to click
  3. clip — a video
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. scale — in music
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. track — a song
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. track — to keep track
  13. mate — a partner
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. track — a path
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. mate — to breed
  21. scale — size or range
  22. clip — for paper
  23. clip — to cut
  24. mate — a friend

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