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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.

Make a worksheet

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: snap · leaves · patient · ball · fan · plane · lash · stand

  1. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. stand — to bear
  5. ball — a great time
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. ball — a dance
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. plane — a tool
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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