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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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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: kick · cue · lean · cap · scale · snap · pitch · safe

  1. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. cue — a signal
  4. snap — to click
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. pitch — completely
  10. cap — a hat
  11. lean — to bend
  12. cue — for pool
  13. scale — size or range
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. kick — in football
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. lean — thin
  18. cue — a hint
  19. cap — a lid
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. cap — of ice
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. scale — in music

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