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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.

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: fan · plane · stick · rush · lean · stand · march · craft

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. stand — to bear
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. lean — to bend
  11. march — the month
  12. craft — boats
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. march — the month
  15. lean — thin
  16. march — music
  17. craft — a skill
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. rush — hurry
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. fan — a supporter

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