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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: toast · cap · rule · deal · content · kick

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. cap — a hat
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. rule — government
  6. content — happy
  7. cap — a lid
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. cap — of ice
  13. rule — a law
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. toast — bread
  16. kick — in football
  17. deal — to handle
  18. content — the amount

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