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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: rash · bulb · lash · snap · cap · dip · bore · bay

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  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. dip — to sink
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. cap — a hat
  4. bore — to tire
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. rash — hasty
  11. rash — a series
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. snap — to click
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. cap — of ice
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. bulb — for light
  20. bore — to drill
  21. bulb — for light
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. dip — a sauce
  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