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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: sharp · pitcher · bulb · ruler · hand · band · toast · stock

  1. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. sharp — clever
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. stock — shares
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. stock — goods
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. band — a ring
  15. hand — in cards
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. hand — help
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. bulb — for light
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. toast — bread
  24. bulb — for light

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