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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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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: deal · face · kick · can · sharp · land · mug · mouse

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. face — to confront
  5. face — to point toward
  6. land — ground
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. mug — to rob
  10. land — a country
  11. sharp — clever
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. mug — a cup
  14. can — to be able to
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. can — a tin
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. face — part of the head
  20. kick — in football
  21. land — to come down
  22. can — a tin
  23. mug — a face
  24. deal — to handle

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