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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: date · mug · firm · bulb · toast · roll · chair · stand

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. mug — a cup
  3. roll — a cake
  4. date — the fruit
  5. mug — to rob
  6. firm — steady
  7. bulb — for light
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. mug — a face
  10. firm — decided
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. bulb — for light
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. stand — to bear
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. roll — a list
  20. toast — bread
  21. chair — a leader
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. firm — a company

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