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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.

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: firm · snap · present · can · game · net · capital · deal

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. deal — to handle
  3. firm — a company
  4. net — for catching
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. can — to be able to
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. present — there
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. game — wild animals
  11. firm — steady
  12. can — a tin
  13. snap — to click
  14. net — in sport
  15. present — the time now
  16. present — a gift
  17. capital — a city
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. game — a match
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. firm — decided
  22. capital — money
  23. net — after costs
  24. deal — an agreement

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