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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: march · present · stand · wave · file · wind · plane · board

  1. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. file — a document
  3. present — there
  4. file — a tool
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. march — music
  8. march — the month
  9. wind — moving air
  10. march — the month
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. present — a gift
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. board — a committee
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. wind — moving air
  18. file — a line of people
  19. plane — a tool
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. stand — to bear
  23. board — to get on
  24. present — the time now

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