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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: fan · kid · plane · firm · staff · temple · mouse · toast

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. toast — bread
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. staff — employees
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. firm — a company
  7. kid — child
  8. staff — a stick
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. firm — decided
  12. plane — a tool
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. kid — to tease
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. staff — employees
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  24. firm — steady

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