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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: mine · hide · rest · stand · suit · fan · lean · scale

  1. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. lean — thin
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. scale — size or range
  10. rest — a break
  11. mine — for digging
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. scale — in music
  14. suit — to fit
  15. rest — what's left
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. stand — to bear
  18. suit — in cards
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. suit — clothes
  23. lean — to bend
  24. rest — what's left

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