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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.

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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: fan · season · plane · suit · track · lean · bowl · bank

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. season — in sport
  3. lean — thin
  4. suit — in cards
  5. track — a song
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. track — a path
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. bank — for money
  10. track — to keep track
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. bank — for money
  16. plane — a tool
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. bank — of a river
  19. suit — clothes
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. suit — to fit
  22. lean — to bend
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. season — of the year

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