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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: fan · plane · stand · dip · temple · stick · wind · scale

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. wind — moving air
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. plane — a tool
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. wind — moving air
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. stand — to bear
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. scale — size or range
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. scale — in music
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. dip — to sink
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. wind — to turn a key

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