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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: net · firm · kid · squash · stand · staff · scale · coach

  1. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. staff — a stick
  3. kid — to tease
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. net — in sport
  6. stand — to bear
  7. staff — employees
  8. firm — decided
  9. scale — size or range
  10. staff — employees
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. scale — in music
  14. kid — child
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. net — for catching
  17. squash — the sport
  18. squash — to crush
  19. firm — a company
  20. net — after costs
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. firm — steady
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. coach — a trainer

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