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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: rush · jam · rash · snap · fork · cap · tube · lash

  1. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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. rush — to hurry
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. cap — of ice
  5. tube — the underground
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. tube — a container
  8. fork — in a road
  9. rash — a series
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. rush — hurry
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. snap — to click
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. rash — hasty
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. cap — a hat
  24. cap — a lid

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