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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: firm · ball · leaves · court · sharp · bulb · lean · staff

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  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. sharp — clever
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. lean — thin
  4. court — for sport
  5. lean — to bend
  6. staff — a stick
  7. firm — steady
  8. ball — a dance
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. staff — employees
  12. court — of law
  13. staff — employees
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. bulb — for light
  16. firm — a company
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. ball — a great time
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. firm — decided
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. court — of a king
  24. bulb — for light

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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