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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: degree · fan · foot · club · board · snap · bulb · stand

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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. degree — from a university
  4. club — for dancing
  5. bulb — for light
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. snap — to click
  8. board — a committee
  9. degree — an amount
  10. board — to get on
  11. degree — temperature
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. stand — to bear
  14. foot — a measure
  15. bulb — for light
  16. club — a group
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. club — for golf
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. stand — for spectators

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