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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
468
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: stick · fan · stand · plane · face · charge · wound · lash

  1. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. face — part of the head
  3. charge — in control
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. plane — a tool
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. charge — a price
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. wound — an injury
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. face — to confront
  19. stand — to bear
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. charge — electricity
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. face — to point toward

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