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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: can · stand · plane · fan · key · sharp · last · spring

  1. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. can — to be able to
  4. spring — of water
  5. key — the most important part
  6. stand — to bear
  7. last — final
  8. last — to go on
  9. key — for a lock
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. last — finally
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. plane — a tool
  18. can — a tin
  19. spring — the season
  20. key — in music
  21. sharp — clever
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. spring — a coil
  24. can — a tin

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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