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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: chair · fan · ball · plane · stand · firm · lean · deal

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. firm — steady
  6. firm — a company
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. ball — a dance
  9. plane — a tool
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. lean — thin
  13. stand — to bear
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. ball — a great time
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. chair — a leader
  20. deal — to handle
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. firm — decided
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. lean — to bend

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