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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 120 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 · kick · plane · sharp · club · shower · arm · suit

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. suit — to fit
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. club — a group
  6. kick — in football
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. sharp — clever
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. plane — a tool
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. club — for dancing
  14. club — for golf
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. shower — to wash
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. suit — clothes
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. suit — in cards
  23. shower — rain
  24. arm — part of the body

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