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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: ruler · stem · stand · date · sharp · bulb · bound · fan

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. bound — obliged
  5. bound — tied together
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. stand — to bear
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. bound — certain
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. stem — to come from
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. sharp — clever
  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