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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 116 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: plane · rush · tear · fan · lean · bound · firm · wave

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. firm — decided
  3. lean — to bend
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. tear — from crying
  7. tear — to rip
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. plane — a tool
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. firm — a company
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. tear — from crying
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. rush — hurry
  19. bound — certain
  20. lean — thin
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. firm — steady
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. bound — obliged

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