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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: deal · snap · kid · vault · kick · foot · bass · mug

  1. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. kid — to tease
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. mug — to rob
  7. foot — a measure
  8. kick — in football
  9. vault — a safe
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. bass — the fish
  12. kid — child
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. snap — to click
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. bass — low music
  17. deal — to handle
  18. mug — a face
  19. mug — a cup
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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