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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: fork · leaves · fan · wax · can · plane · stand · roll

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. can — to be able to
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. roll — a list
  5. can — a tin
  6. roll — a cake
  7. stand — to bear
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. fork — in a road
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. wax — to grow
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. plane — a tool
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. can — a tin
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. plane — an aircraft

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