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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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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: saw · foot · cabinet · firm · game · stand · snap · can

  1. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. can — to be able to
  5. game — a match
  6. firm — a company
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. firm — decided
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. saw — the tool
  13. saw — the tool
  14. game — wild animals
  15. foot — a measure
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. can — a tin
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. can — a tin
  23. stand — to bear
  24. firm — steady

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