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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
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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: ball · stand · firm · content · jam · cabinet · kid · coach

  1. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. kid — to tease
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. firm — steady
  12. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  13. ball — a great time
  14. content — happy
  15. stand — to bear
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. firm — decided
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. content — the amount
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. ball — a dance
  22. firm — a company
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. kid — child

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