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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: tube · leaves · arm · sharp · rule · stand · temple · stick

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. tube — the underground
  11. rule — a law
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. rule — government
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. stand — to bear
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. tube — a container
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. arm — part of the body

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