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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.

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: stand · sharp · spell · fan · pass · stick · chair · key

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. pass — a permit
  3. spell — a short time
  4. key — in music
  5. key — the most important part
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. spell — magic
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. stand — to bear
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. sharp — clever
  16. key — for a lock
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. chair — a leader
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. spell — letters

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