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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: coach · hand · stand · saw · cap · pass · firm · can

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. hand — in cards
  3. can — to be able to
  4. cap — a hat
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. firm — a company
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. saw — the tool
  11. can — a tin
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. hand — help
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. cap — a lid
  17. pass — a permit
  18. cap — of ice
  19. firm — decided
  20. firm — steady
  21. can — a tin
  22. stand — to bear
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. saw — the tool

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