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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
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: fan · plane · cabinet · wax · branch · stand · bowl · wave

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. stand — to bear
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. wax — to grow
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. branch — a division
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. plane — a tool
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. stand — for spectators

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