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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: stock · bulb · ruler · coach · vault · clip · stand · sharp

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. sharp — clever
  4. clip — for paper
  5. stand — to bear
  6. stock — goods
  7. bulb — for light
  8. stock — shares
  9. clip — a video
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. vault — a safe
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. bulb — for light
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. clip — to cut
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. coach — a trainer

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