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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 · can · land · charge · wave · suit · stand · date

  1. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. date — the fruit
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. suit — to fit
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. can — a tin
  9. charge — electricity
  10. stand — to bear
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. land — ground
  13. land — to come down
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. charge — in control
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. suit — clothes
  19. can — a tin
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. can — to be able to
  22. land — a country
  23. suit — in cards
  24. charge — a price

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