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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: fan · stand · wave · stem · lean · kid · march · object

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. stand — to bear
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. kid — child
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. lean — thin
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. lean — to bend
  11. march — the month
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. object — an aim
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. march — the month
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. kid — to tease
  20. object — to protest
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. march — music
  23. stem — to come from
  24. fan — a supporter

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