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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: bulb · rash · lie · stand · mate · bear · trunk · sharp

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. stand — to bear
  4. bulb — for light
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. mate — a friend
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. bear — the animal
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. rash — hasty
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. rash — a series
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. sharp — clever
  18. bulb — for light
  19. mate — to breed
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. mate — a partner
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. lie — to recline

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