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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.

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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 · mark · stand · mug · calf · plane · pitcher · suit

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. mug — a cup
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. mark — a trace
  9. plane — a tool
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. mug — a face
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. stand — to bear
  15. suit — to fit
  16. mug — to rob
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. suit — clothes
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. mark — a grade

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