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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: stand · rush · wave · pass · fan · land · kid · plane

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. stand — to bear
  6. rush — hurry
  7. land — ground
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. pass — a permit
  10. kid — child
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. land — a country
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. plane — a tool
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. land — to come down
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. kid — to tease
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. rush — a thrill

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