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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: leaves · plane · file · lean · stand · race · toast · chip

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. plane — a tool
  3. file — a line of people
  4. stand — to bear
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. race — the arms race
  7. chip — for betting
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. lean — to bend
  13. lean — thin
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. file — a document
  19. chip — to eat
  20. race — humankind
  21. file — a tool
  22. race — a contest
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. toast — bread

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