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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: content · last · plane · fan · lean · firm · stand · cap

  1. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. firm — a company
  3. firm — decided
  4. plane — a tool
  5. last — to go on
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. last — finally
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. content — the amount
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. lean — thin
  14. stand — to bear
  15. firm — steady
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. last — final
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. cap — of ice
  20. lean — to bend
  21. cap — a lid
  22. content — happy
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. fan — a supporter

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