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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 120 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
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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 · fan · suit · wave · march · plane · patient · board

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. board — a committee
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. march — the month
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. suit — to fit
  10. march — music
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. fork — in a road
  15. board — to get on
  16. suit — clothes
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. suit — in cards
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. plane — a tool
  24. march — the month

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