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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
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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: toast · track · fan · hand · content · plane · staff · suit

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. hand — in cards
  4. track — to keep track
  5. suit — in cards
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. track — a song
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. plane — a tool
  10. suit — to fit
  11. content — the amount
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. toast — bread
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. hand — help
  16. staff — employees
  17. staff — employees
  18. content — happy
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. track — a path
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. suit — clothes
  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