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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 120 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: kid · snap · safe · charge · foot · cap · rock · ball

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. charge — electricity
  3. charge — in control
  4. rock — music
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. foot — a measure
  7. kid — to tease
  8. snap — to click
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. charge — a price
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. rock — a stone
  14. kid — child
  15. cap — a hat
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. cap — a lid
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. ball — a great time
  23. ball — a dance
  24. cap — of ice

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