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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: face · rule · mug · kick · hand · snap · bank · safe

  1. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. face — part of the head
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. face — to confront
  6. mug — to rob
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. mug — a cup
  9. bank — for money
  10. hand — in cards
  11. bank — for money
  12. hand — help
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. bank — of a river
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. rule — government
  17. face — to point toward
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. snap — to click
  21. rule — a law
  22. kick — in football
  23. mug — a face
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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