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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: foot · snap · calf · pit · content · mate · charge · kick

  1. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. mate — a friend
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. kick — in football
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. mate — to breed
  7. charge — a price
  8. pit — in a race
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. mate — a partner
  14. content — the amount
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. charge — in control
  19. charge — electricity
  20. pit — a hole
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. foot — a measure
  24. content — happy

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