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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · fine · stand · rest · cabinet · date · bay · bulb

  1. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  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. cabinet — ministers
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. rest — what's left
  6. fine — high quality
  7. rest — a break
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. date — the fruit
  12. stand — to bear
  13. sharp — clever
  14. rest — what's left
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. fine — all right
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. bulb — for light
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. stand — for spectators
  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