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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: can · cabinet · fine · pop · stand · deal · land · ground

  1. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. stand — to bear
  3. land — ground
  4. ground — crushed
  5. can — a tin
  6. pop — soda
  7. pop — music
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. can — a tin
  12. fine — all right
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. ground — a position
  16. can — to be able to
  17. land — to come down
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. ground — the earth
  20. land — a country
  21. fine — high quality
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. deal — to handle
  24. cabinet — ministers

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