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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: wind · wave · plane · rush · bank · lean · march · stand

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. march — the month
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. plane — a tool
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. bank — of a river
  9. wind — moving air
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. march — the month
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. march — music
  15. bank — for money
  16. rush — hurry
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. lean — to bend
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. stand — to bear
  22. bank — for money
  23. lean — thin
  24. wind — moving air

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