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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.

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: lie · object · degree · cue · stand · fan · plane · mine

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. object — an aim
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. cue — for pool
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. stand — to bear
  8. cue — a signal
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. plane — a tool
  11. lie — to recline
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. cue — a hint
  16. degree — an amount
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. degree — from a university
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. object — to protest
  21. mine — for digging
  22. degree — temperature
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. object — a thing

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