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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 116 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: suit · tube · can · hand · lie · fan · plane · stand

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. can — a tin
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. suit — clothes
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. can — to be able to
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. suit — in cards
  9. tube — the underground
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. lie — to recline
  13. tube — a container
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. plane — a tool
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. stand — to bear
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. can — a tin
  21. suit — to fit
  22. hand — help
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. stand — for spectators

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