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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: band · fall · plane · stand · season · cabinet · key · wind

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. key — in music
  3. season — of the year
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. band — a music group
  8. season — in sport
  9. fall — to drop
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. stand — to bear
  14. wind — moving air
  15. plane — a tool
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. key — for a lock
  19. key — the most important part
  20. fall — to drop
  21. fall — the season
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. band — a ring
  24. wind — moving air

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