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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.

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: fan · cabinet · leaves · plane · content · suit · march · club

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. suit — clothes
  3. march — the month
  4. content — the amount
  5. club — for dancing
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. march — the month
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. march — music
  10. suit — to fit
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. suit — in cards
  14. content — happy
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. plane — a tool
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. club — for golf
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. content — videos and posts

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