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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: fine · pound · can · kick · rest · pop · ball · snap

  1. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. can — a tin
  3. rest — what's left
  4. ball — a dance
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. ball — a great time
  7. fine — all right
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. pound — a weight
  11. rest — what's left
  12. pop — soda
  13. pop — music
  14. can — a tin
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. kick — in football
  17. rest — a break
  18. pop — to visit
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. fine — high quality
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. can — to be able to
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. kick — a thrill

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