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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: content · safe · spell · cap · snap · fine · kick · deal

  1. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. fine — high quality
  3. kick — in football
  4. fine — all right
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. cap — of ice
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. spell — letters
  11. content — happy
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. deal — to handle
  16. spell — magic
  17. snap — to click
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. cap — a hat
  20. spell — a short time
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. cap — a lid

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