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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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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: sharp · can · kick · foot · rule · pitch · cap · wax

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. rule — government
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. cap — a hat
  5. pitch — completely
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. can — to be able to
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. can — a tin
  11. can — a tin
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. wax — to grow
  15. kick — in football
  16. rule — a law
  17. cap — of ice
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. foot — a measure
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. cap — a lid
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. foot — the bottom

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