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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: stand · suit · rush · face · racket · plane · leaves · row

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. stand — to bear
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. row — a line
  8. face — to confront
  9. row — to paddle
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. suit — to fit
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. face — part of the head
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. rush — hurry
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. suit — in cards
  19. plane — a tool
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. face — to point toward
  23. suit — clothes
  24. leaves — of a tree

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