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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: lash · fan · foot · firm · fork · pass · band · suit

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. pass — a permit
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. suit — to fit
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. fork — in a road
  13. band — a ring
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. firm — steady
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. band — a music group
  19. firm — a company
  20. foot — a measure
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. firm — decided
  24. suit — clothes

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