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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
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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: stand · rule · plane · fine · field · cap · key · lean

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. cap — a lid
  3. key — in music
  4. fine — all right
  5. field — farmland
  6. cap — a hat
  7. fine — high quality
  8. lean — thin
  9. plane — a tool
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. stand — to bear
  12. rule — government
  13. key — the most important part
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. key — for a lock
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. lean — to bend
  19. cap — of ice
  20. rule — a law
  21. field — for sport
  22. field — a subject
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. rule — to rule out

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