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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 116 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: snap · bank · bay · can · hand · kid · plane · stand

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. bank — of a river
  3. bank — for money
  4. can — a tin
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. can — to be able to
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. snap — to click
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. kid — child
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. bank — for money
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. hand — in cards
  16. can — a tin
  17. hand — help
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. kid — to tease
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. plane — a tool
  24. stand — to bear

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