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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 · cap · foot · kick · can · charge · bank · rule

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. can — a tin
  5. charge — in control
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. bank — of a river
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. rule — government
  10. can — a tin
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. charge — a price
  13. bank — for money
  14. bank — for money
  15. rule — a law
  16. can — to be able to
  17. cap — a hat
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. kick — in football
  21. charge — electricity
  22. snap — to click
  23. cap — of ice
  24. foot — a measure

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