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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: wave · firm · snap · can · stick · hand · perch · fine

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. can — to be able to
  5. firm — decided
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. can — a tin
  11. fine — high quality
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. snap — to click
  15. can — a tin
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. firm — steady
  18. fine — all right
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. perch — the fish
  21. hand — in cards
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. hand — help
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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