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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 120 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: stand · board · lean · cabinet · sharp · present · stem · stick

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. present — the time now
  3. lean — thin
  4. stem — to come from
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. lean — to bend
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. board — to get on
  14. present — a gift
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. sharp — clever
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. present — there
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. stand — to bear
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. sharp — with an edge

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