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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: suit · fan · rock · stand · nail · club · sharp · lean

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. lean — to bend
  7. club — for dancing
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. suit — in cards
  10. rock — a stone
  11. suit — to fit
  12. lean — thin
  13. rock — music
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. club — for golf
  17. club — a group
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. sharp — clever
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. stand — to bear
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. rock — to move gently

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